Audience and Production

L/O: Identify the key differences between passive and active audience theories.

Who are he Audience?

Audiences for mass media products are always discussed as if they are some kind of mass themselves- in fact an audience is composed of individuals.

The importance of audience
-Understanding the audience is very important to media institutions and everyone involved in making media products.
-Most media texts (film, newspapers, DVD, video games, TV programmes) are made with a TARGET AUDIENCE in mind.

What about not making media for an audience?
-Many artists may say they don't make their work for any particular audience
-REGARDLESS
-It's important to understand how audiences feel about, receive and understand the proliferation of media around us and them.

Moral panics and the audience

-Since the start of mass media in the 19th century there have always been PANICS about the audience and the effect that the media will have on them.
-When an audience is deeply effected by an issue in the media this is known as a 'moral panic'.
-'A moral panic is an intense feeling expressed in a population about an issue that appears to threaten the social order'. The term first appeared in the English Language in 1830 in The Quarterly Christian Spectator.

A moral panic ca be...
-Created by the media- such as a newspaper story that causes hysterical reaction from the public.

Effects Theory

Effects Theory argues that the mass media has a profound effect on its audience- so much to that people will believe and copy everything they see in the media Effects Theory is also called 'hypodermic syringe' and sometimes 'bullet theory'.

The effects/hypodermic model
-This model owes much to the supposed power of the mass media- in particular film- to inject their audiences with ideas and meanings. Such was the thinking behind much of the Nazi propaganda that was evident in Triumph of the will and similar films.

Passive Audience
-Totalisation states and dictatorships are similar in their desire to have complete control over the media.

2 Step Theory
- The 2-Step theory argues audience are only convinced or 'sold' via the media when there are 2 steps.
-The first step is the media product itself
-The second step is a 'celebrity', well respected person, well respected politician etc- endorses the media product or idea.

Active Audience / Uses and gratification Theory

-Suggests that there is a highly active audiences making use of the media. In this model the individual has the power and she selects the media texts that best suit her/his needs. The psychological basis for this model is the hierarchy of needs identified by Maslow.

An active audience wants:

a) the need for information about our geographical and social world (news and drama)
b)the need for identity, by using characters and personalities to define our sense of self and social behavior (film and celebrities).
c) the need for social interaction through experiencing the relationships and interaction of others (soap lives and sitcom, sports) and discussing media events with friends/ work colleagues.
d) the need for diversion by using the media for play and entertainment (game shows and quizzes).

Active Audience and De-coding

-Stuart Hall's theory that the audience De-codes media texts reading signs , particularly visual signs, but also creating OPPOSITIONAL reading to the dominant reading intended by the makers. IN the other similar to Barthes theory on audiences- the meaning is in our interpretation.

-In this model, the audience accept or agree with the encoded meanings, they accept and refine parts of the text's meanings or they are aware of the dominant meaning of the text but reject it for cultural, political or ideological reasons.

Labels

Labels for the blog

-Key Concepts media language institution genre representation ideology narrative 

-Semiotics- annotate a film poster and advertising poster 

-annotate CD covers
-Narrative Theory- propp todorow Levi strauss    binary oppositions
-Continuity- Storyboard, for your continuety sequence

Jungle book-essay on technical codes and genre
Marketing of jungle book- analysis of the trailer
Posters for Jungle- annotate a poster-----------------------

Music Video
-Notes on music videos and key words
-Textual analysis of a music video (Taylor Swift)
Editing
Cinematography
Your story board and the clip uploaded and evaluate it


TO  Do

Representation

                                                               Representation

What is representation?
-Representation is how a person a place is portrayed thorough media.

One of the key points about  representation is the process of mediation

What is mediation?

-Mediation is when you keep on changing something by manipulating it, but at the same time keeping it realistic.



Task:

What, if anything, are the following people used as symbols of?

Nelson Mandela-Freedom, Justice, equality and Dignity           

Britney Spears-Singer

Madonna-Singer, Rebellious image 

David Beckham-Football Player,model, fashion icon


Key Words form the Representation

Reflective representation: is trying to make it as realistic as possible down to the last detail.
Intentional representation: is when the maker has a  definite point of view  they are making through a story or documentary.
Constructionist view: tries to look at a subject or person from many points of view rather than having and intentional stereotype or reflective view.
Stereotypes: categorizing people with specific characteristics rather than seeing them as individuals on the whole tends to be negative.
Hegemony:dominant or ruling class retain their power through representation in the media.
Pluralism: wide range of voices and opinions being heard-diversity.
Selection:is important because a specific story or photo is chosen and many are left out.

Representation is how person or place is portrayed through media, but also it is a mix of opinions and views  of other people.

How do you think the concept of representation relates to the music video?

Which types of representation do you think we see in the music videos?
-Stereotypes- limited or generalize characteristics (such as country and western singer in a cowboy hat).
-Hegemony- music videos could  represent dominant classes or ideas (such as presenting the singer as wealthy and powerful).
-Diversity- and pluralism- there could be a wide range of artists and music represented in a music video.
-Intentional representation- music videos always have an intention.
-Music videos can also be realistic and be reflective of reality.

Evaluation of the Continuity sequence-The Video

              Evaluation of the Continuity sequence


Continuity sequence is a story line that always progresses forward in time  meaning that the point the story line starts at will be progressed continually to the end, so that the audience understand the plot. The importance of continuity is to create realism for the audience.

The aim of creating the continuity sequence was to understand how the continuity of the story line  had to be progressed throughout the whole story.

Before making the continuity sequence I had created a storyboard ,which included still images of how the story line was progressed from one still shot to another. The objective of making a storyboard  was to get an idea of what I will  be doing when filming and how the story line will look like when using different shots. This was also like a guide when filming as I knew what kind of shots to use when filming. When filming the continuity sequence my partner an I used a tripod to set up the first shot which was really helpful as the shot was still and not shaky. Overall my continuity sequence went well, as it was actually continuous and when each shot cut it was continuous and made sense to the audience of what is happening.
To improve my continuity sequence I would pre-record the audio as I had problems with it when filming as it was a public place and I had filmed unwanted audio that had ruined some of my footage. .

Essay

Sounds effects and music are the most important technical codes used in film to create a genre- Discuss in relation to 2 films of your choice giving examples of scenes to make your point

Hand in date: 31 October first Tuesday back

Tuesday Class: 10 am

Assessment criteria

  

The Media contexts = an understanding of the industries and how this has influenced the making of the product

Music Video

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1OA1RgKoMAgUnkdfwY8EmGZtRTYSQfChn-Editing Techniques and processes



https://drive.google.com/open?id=1V7fgz0m6ZpcakMNOQy91erealH0bKGLR



                    What is a music video?

Key words:
-Hyperconsiosness- Is when the performer is aware of their image.
-Inter-textuality- Is when one media form refers to another( Taylor Swift- Blank Space is playing a persona of a 1920's Vamp).
-Parody- Making a joke out of something.
-Pastiche- Is when you are referring something else to another genre.
-Narcissism-Is when someone is very vane.


What is a music video?
-Music video is a short, moving image product, shot for the express purpose of accompanying a pre-existing music track and usually in order to encourage sales of the music in another format.

Michel Jackson- Beat it
-It used parody as when the fight needed to start the people started dancing.
-It also refers to Inter-textuality as it could have had referred to gang members at that time.


Watch video:

Radiohead - Burn The Witch and Massive Attack - Unfinished Sympathy

 and answer these questions for homework for TUESDAY

1   Identify two camera shots used in the video. Explain why each was used. (10 marks)

2   Choose one character from the video. Explain how they are represented. (10 marks)

3   Give two ways that the video is typical of pop videos. Explain your choices. (10 marks) use Key Words of why is is a typical pop video.

4   Explain how camera work and editing are used to interest the audience in the video. (10 marks)

5   Briefly explain two more ways that singles are marketed by record companies. (10 marks)

stop frame animation      tracking shot/single continuous shot  parody of the wicke man  one long shot no cuts  inter textual reference to mean streets

Attack - Unfinished Sympathy

1) In the music video Massive  Attack- Unfinished Sympathy  tracking shot was used throughout the whole music video which followed the main character walking which at the end of the video leaves the shot. This technique was used through out the music video as it is a continuous shot which shows the story clearly without cutting the scenes.

2)The main character is presented as an innocent woman that is lost in herself which we can sees when she is walking she is unaware of her surroundings and just walks without stopping through the whole music video. The woman is also shown as sad and depressed as through the whole music video she doesn't make and eye contact with the camera(audience).

3)This music video is typical to the other as it is a inter-textual reference of the mean streets as it has the same theme of walking in LA streets.


4)The camera work that is used is the continuous tracking shot which tells the story and focuses on the main character shown in the shot. The audience only focus on the other characters for a short amount of time and only see things that the main character passes when she walks.

5)Singles are marketed through social media such as Twitter,Facebook where the is spreads to many people and attracts the audience to the single.

Radiohead - Burn The Witch

1) In the music video Radiohead-Burn the Witch stop frame animation is used throughout the whole video which is a technique used to make things and object appear to be moving 

2) The main character the man in a black coat is presented as an innocent character that is shocked at the style of life people are living in the town. This character seems to be different from others as he doesn't like how the people act and what traditions they have like killing people. 

3)This video is typical like other music videos as it is inter-textuality  and parody of the film Wicker Man as is has the same element when the people want to burn the man is a giant wooden statue.

4)The stop frame animation and haw it is edited together to make objects and things move makes the audience really interested as stop frame animation is not used a lot in music videos and is is kind of unusual as it is mostly used in films.

5) Singles are marketed through social media such as Instagram, Facebook and twitter where people can see everything about the music video by the use of hashtag.  

Understanding the Media Industries-'Old Media' and 'New Media'

Definition of Media- form of expression
                                -form of communication
                                -mass media(reaches millions of people) Media is thought of a term of new                                           media and old media.
                               
Old media could reach hundreds, thousands and maybe million people whereas new media via the internet (mobile phones etc.) can reach even a billion people so the idea of the mass media is that is reaches a huge mass of people.


-Early Newspapers were illustrated
-1878 mass produced photography began, by 1900 the famous brownie camera costing 1 dollar was released.
-Magazines and newspapers were now accompanied by photographs rather than hand drawn images.
-Early film and photograph stock were the same.


Radio: Gugliemo Marconi made hi historic foray into broadcasting in 1901. When his wireless transmitted the first radio waves across the curvature of the earth. The Italian entrepreneur broadcast, from the isle of white to Cornwall.

                   Old media and its new media equivalent

Old Media                                                                   New Media

-TV                                                                              -Netflix which a TV streaming channel an                                                                                              app  that runs on phones and laptops,                                                                                                    computers mobile devices. Amazon Studios,                                                                                        Amazon Prime                                                                              

-Radio                                                                         -Apple Music

-Cinema                                                                      -Online streaming, youtube, cinema streaming                                                                                           sites Netflix, MUBI,  BFI Player,  

-Newspapers                                                              -Online version of Newspapers, Onlineversion 

                                                                                   of The Daily Mirror, The Daily Mail, The                                                                                                Guardian, news site such as Mashable,                                                                                                      Facebook  sharing of news article on Twitter ,                                                                                          news apps on phones, BT email news items and                                                                                      articles from newspapers   . Snapchat

-Magazine                                                                   -Indie Wire , Mashable,  

-Photography                                                             -Snapchat.  Instagram, Pinterest,  Tumblr

                                                                             

What we done in the lesson

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BxxzY6k_c3gDd3BxM1VubUx1NzA/view?usp=sharing




https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BxxzY6k_c3gDX1FRV2NfQXVmM28/view?




usp=sharinghttps://drive.google.com/file/d/0BxxzY6k_c3gDZnV0Y29XY0YxaG8/view?usp=sharing




https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BxxzY6k_c3gDRjdMWW5iRDZ1SWM/view?usp=sharing

Narrative Theory

      Key Terms

Narrative- A narrative is the relation between a series of events it is the way the story is told.
Story- The story is the strict chronological order in which the events occur.
Plot- Plot is the order in which the charters find out about these events.

Roland Barthes- Media texts are constructed using a series of codes. These codes help the audience to understand what is going on.

Action code- When we see an action in a text we anticipate what consequences will follow. For example: Dirty Ol' 'Arry

Enigma Code- When we encounter plot elements that raise questions on the part of the reader of a text.

Claude Levi-Strauss- constant creation of conflict/opposition propels narrative and narrative can only end on resolution of conflict.

Tzvetan Todorov- narratives follow a typical form of equilibrium, disequilibrium and new equilibrium.

His theory:
- A state of equilibrium ( all is as should be)
-A disruption of that order by an event
-A recognition that the disorder has occurred
-An attempt to repair the damage of the disruption
-A return or restoration of a NEW equilibrium

Vladimir Propp Character Types

1. The villain — struggles against the hero.

2. The donor — prepares the hero or gives the hero some magical object.

3. The (magical) helper — helps the hero in the quest.

4. The princess and her father — gives the task to the hero, identifies the false hero, marries the hero, often sought for during the narrative. Propp noted that functionally, the princess and the father can not be clearly distinguished.

5. The dispatcher — character who makes the lack known and sends the hero off.

6. The hero or victim/seeker hero — reacts to the donor, weds the princess.

7. [False hero] — takes credit for the hero’s actions or tries to marry the princess

Textual Analysis- Jungle Book

The film  Jungle book is mainly based on action animated genre which you can tell from the plot of the story and also on 0:30 second and 0:35 it tells us that it is brought from the same studio that created Pirates of the Caribbean and the same director of Iron Man which were action based films. It is also targeted on younger people as it is made by Disney which tells us it is not going to be a horror film.
The media institution of the film Jungle Book is Disney  which is shown at the beginning of the trailer. The music builds up dramatically creating suspense throughout the trailer by stopping when the snake starts to talk and playing again when he doesn't.

In the first long shot we see the boy which is surrounded by trees and all alone suggesting to us that he is the main character. At the end

The editing of the scenes is longer at the beginning and as the tension rises the shots get shorter and also when the shots cut the music cut is well creating tension.

The targeted audience are younger people as it is made by Disney, also the main character is a small boy which an refer which may connect to the audience. This trailer also has talking animals which shows that is targeted at young audience.

-To answer this question I will be looking at camera shots, the use of sound and music and the use of editing.
-Other important technical codes include: Special effect (CGI-Computer Generated Imagery), pyrotechnics (technical ways to make explosions), lighting, props and clothing.
-Mise- en scene- is a term which means everything inside the camera frame.

How important are the technical codes in this scene for creating genre?
1)-Music is very important to creating the genre of action adventure. In this sequence as the music gets more dramatic the scene builds up more tension, as the scene starts the music is low and sad, and describes the feeling of the bear's character. Also the boy's character as he is sad to go, however the music also builds up tension as we know something may happen if Mowgli is alone in the jungle. The music is really important in keeping the suspense of the action adventure genre moving forward. As the boy runs away and climbs on the tree, taking himself into more danger, the music builds and starts to get faster. Before Mowgli is about to get captured the music stops. This also increases tension. Joel Silver, an action film producer  explains how he creates action film using what he calls 'whammos' every 10 minutes, in between the action he says he uses a 'zinger' which is a short joke or humor. In this scene we see the use of humor as the monkey mocks the human boy, before an action sequence starts up, suddenly the music strikes a loud chord and starts up again as Mowgli is picked up and thrown through the trees. The pace of the music is fast and is timed to a heart beat, during an action sequence the audiences 'hear' will eat at the same time as the music.

-The sequence starts with a mid close up shot on the main character washing himself in the river. We can tell from the props and the location that this film is in a jungle or an unfamiliar place the action adventure film is usually st in an charters undertaking journeys and quests in unusual locations.Then we have a shot reverse sequence of Mowgli and the bear talking. This shot reverse shot is used for conversations in  films and TV. When the bear tells Mowgli he has to leave the jungle the action adventure theme is pushed forward. The camera shot changes to high angle shot on Mowgli when he finds out that he must leave the safety of living with the bear the high angle shot which makes Mowgli looks vulnerable and small. The high angle tells the audience that some action/adventure sequence is about to start again. We have a sot reverse shot again but now the bear is shown in close up getting more and more annoyed with Mowgli to push him to leave and Mowgli is shot in a hang angle shot pleading with the bear to stay . This sequence is building up tension again? Will Mowgli stay? Will he have to leave?

Enigma Code: The enigma is a puzzle or mystery that has to be in every story

-At the point in the scene where the bear is pushing Mowgli to leave- there is another enigma code or puzzle now- because the audience is thinking what will happen to Mowgli? So the shot reverse shot sequence builds up tension and also pushes the mystery of the action adventure story forward. The next shot is a long shot of Mowgli running away, and we know the next part of the adventure is about to begin, We see Mowgli in long shot climbing a huge tree the location of the jungle is important in this sequence and the location is the most important part of the action adventure genre. This shot is from the POV of the bear and the panther. They watch Mowgli as he climbs up the tree. Then we see Mowgli's POV (point of view shot from high up the tree as he sits along in CU. So the CU shot shows us that he is alone). Typical adventure character.

Humor/ pause sequence
- While Mowgli is up on the tree there is the humor/joke pause filmed in a two shot with the monkey's character.
-An action film has an action sequence every 10 minutes and a humorous sequence in between the action sequences in this case the two shot between Mowgli and the monkey which is a joke for he audience before the next action sequence begins.
-As the action sequences begin- we see Mowgli from a POV ( pint of view shot) from the panther and the bear as they try to run after him to save him. 

Narrative

                       Typical Story of an Action Adventure
-A hero heroine is usually on a journey or quest in search of someone or something.
-She/He has to complete and face a range of challenges.
-The narrative is a mixture of action sequences and sequences of suspense and/or humor.
-The end of the film the here/heroine is victorious.
-The story is told in a linear narrative.
-Clear beginning-Middle and End.

Iconography(symbols and images) of Action Films                   Iconography of Adventure Films
-Chase                                                                       -Exotic locations
-Hero/Heroine                                                           -Maps
-Fighting                                                                   -Animals
-Explosions                                                               -Treasure
-Weapons                                                                  -Element of Danger
-Killing


Action Adventure hybrid Genre- are combination of the two genres.
-Emphasis on travels
-conquests
-Explorations
-Struggles
-Situations that confront the main characters or actual historical figures

Evaluating my first continuity sequence-

Media Storyboard- Click to view the Link


-The objective of this practice was to get an idea of what we will  be doing when filming and what the storyboard will look like when using different shots. This also helped me to get used to the equipment we have uses such as camera.
-It is important to use  range of shots when making continuity sequence as it makes the audience see the perspective of the character which makes them understand what is going on in the story. Each shows the perspective of the character  where he is looking.
-Eye line shot is really important as  it shows  where the character is looking which  makes the audience feel as if they are the character in the story and are looking through their eyes.
-From this exercise I have learned that every shot is important as it show the  continuity sequence of the whole film and that if something is missing the audience could be confused on what is happening.
-Making a story board before filming a live action is really important as you understand what you have to do and what kind of shots you have to use when filming that


Complete story board for your continuity sequence

Create a new post on your blog entitled: Evaluating my first continuity sequence

Answer these questions:

            Explain what the objective was in this practical exercise

2       How important is using a range of shots to making a continuity sequence the audience /viewer can understand?

3       Explain the importance of ‘eye line’ to making a continuity sequence

4       Explain what you have learnt from this exercise

5       How important is making a story board before filming a live action/moving image sequence?  

Upload your story board/stills sequence to your blog (either by creating a link or photograph your storyboard and upload the jpeg to the blog 

Creating continuity Sequences

                                         What is continuity sequence?

-Most films are constructed through a LINEAR NARRATIVE.
-Which is a story line that always progresses forward in time (Monday, Tue, Weds) starts in the morning, end in the evening etc.
-Linear narratives also use a style of filming and editing that is known as CONTINUITY EDITING.

Cinematography

Cinematography-Camera Shots

Framing- is an art of selection. The edges of the image creates a frame that includes oe excludes aspects of what occurs in front of the camera.

Canted Frame- is a view in which the frame is not level.

Camera Distance or Scale- Extreme long shot a framing in which the scale of the object shown is very small: a building, landscape, or crowd of people will fill the screen.
Long Shot- a framing which the scale of the object shown is small: a standing human figure would appear nearly the height of the screen. It can show a character and her/his surroundings in a single frame.

Medium Long Shot- Framing such an an object four or five feet high would fill most of the screen vertically. Also called plain americain, given its recurrence in he Western genre.

Medium Close-up- A framing in which the scale of the object shown is fairly large; a human figure from the chest up would fill most of the screen.

Close-up- A framing in which the scale of the object shown is relatively large, in a close-up a person's head, or soem other similarity sized object would fill the frame.

Extreme close-up- A framing in which the scale of the object shown in very large, most commonly, a small object or part of the body usually shot with a zoom lens.

Crane Shot- A shot with the camera above the ground and moving through the air. The camera is placed on a crane (basically, a large cantilevered arm) or similar device. Crane shots are often or extreme long shots.

Steady Cam- can create a long  steady shot.

Analyzing a film trailer Jungle Book

How to analyse a moving image text:
-Sound-
-Camera Shots
-Editing
-Mise En Scene

What elements should a good trailer have?
A good trailer should tell as little of the plot as possible and not spoil the whole film, but at the same time hook the viewers attention.

CGI- Computer Generated Imagery

First early  films  that used CGI was Tron in 1982, Jurassic Park and Toy Story which has  improved  over time dramatically as many films now only use CGI which looks very realistic.

The Jungle Book

Sound- At the beginning it start with the sound of birds and the jungle and the voice of the snake talking to the boy. The music builds up dramatically creating suspense and the voice over of the snake is added  stopping when it  speaks and playing again when it doesn't speak. The sound of the bell shows that something is creeping up for the boy which can represent the tiger creating suspense and interest for the viewer.

Editing- Graphics telling us that the same studio produced other films also telling the actors that are in the film which attracts the audience to come and see the movie.

Camera Shot:
1 Shot- of the film in the beginning is a tracking shot which moves in from the tree
2 Shot- cuts off to a long shot which shows that the scenery is created in the  jungle
3 Shot-is a tracking shot which shows that the character is in a deep jungle
4 Shot- is a long shot which shows that character which is surrounded by massive trees all alone which introduces the character to the audience for the first time.
5 Shot- is a long shot of the animals which shows who the character is surrounded by
6 Shot- is a close up shot of the tiger  walking
7 Shot- is a long shot showing the whole tiger
8 Shot- shot used is a night shot which cuts to extreme long shot
9 Shot- is a long shot of the panther walking towards the camera
10 Shot- is a close up shot of the boy which cuts into a point of view shot
11 Shot-is a very long shot of the boy and the panther
12 Shot- is a very long shot which cuts into a medium long shot
13 Shot- is a medium long shot of the boy and elephants walking up to him
14 Shot- is a medium close up of the boy which cuts into a close up of the gorilla
15 Shot- is a tracking shot of the boy
16 Shot- is a medium long shot cutting into a medium shot
17 Shot- is a tracking shot
18 Shot- is a medium close up shot of the boy and the snake
19- Shot- is an overhead shot cutting into a tracking shot
20 Shot- is a long shot cutting into a medium shot
21 Shot- is a medium close up moving to a close up
22 Shot- is a medium shot of the boy
23 Shot- is a big close up of the tiger
24 Shot- is a big close up of the panther
25 Shot- is a medium long shot moving into a medium shot of the boy running away from the gorilla
26 Shot- is the final shot of the trailer which is a very long shot of the bear and the boy swimming in the water.

Analyzing a film trailer

                                                          How to write about a film?

Media Language
-Camera Shots
-Music
-Sound Effects
-SFX
-Colours and Lighting
-Editing Style
-Actors presentation (clothes, accent)
-MISE-EN-SCENE (everything in the shot)

The way the story is told:                                                 

Cloverfield-Trailer

-In the trailer Cloverfield  it  starts with group shots showing it is an party and group of friends are hanging out. Then the trailer jumps to a point of view shot showing everything what is happening from someones point of view who is attending the party. Also the editing and sound effects stand out the most as the film maker uses cut scenes to make the film trailer more interesting and creates an enigma by the rising action when the audience hear loud roaring,sound and lighting start to  disappear from time to time.
-The institution of the film is Paramount and Bad Robot which suggest it will be an action type movie as these institutions are based in these types of movies like action and Adventure. This also links to genre of the film as it is an action type movie.
-The characters that are in the film are friends of Rob who is supposed to leave and has created a party for everyone to celebrate the fact that he is leaving and seeing  then for the last time in a while.
-This film is set in New York

H.W Media Diary

YouTube
Play music
Bus Times
My harrow app
Steam
YouTube
Blogger
Messages

Google Research (h.W)
YouTube
My Harrow app
Bus Times
Steam


Bus Times
Play Music
Mobile Game
YouTube
Steam
Viber

Bus Times
Play Music
Gmail
Instagram
YouTube
Messages

Bus Times
Play Music
Google Play Store
Mobile game
Whatsapp
Messages
Blogger
Google Research (Class Work)
YouTube

What is the Media?

                                                                      Types of Media                            
-Television
-Magazines
-Film
-Radio
-Advertising
-Pop music
-Newspapers
-The Internet


Favorite Media:                                                           Reason:

-Television programme:
-Film: Back to the Future
-Magazines:
-Radio programme:
-Advertisement:
-Pop songs:
-Newspapers: The Times
-Internet site: YouTube


What is Media Studies?

-Media Studies involves the close analysis of the images, sounds and text that we experience via the media. It is the study of individual media texts (such as films, TV, shows, magazines, websites) and
-Who made them (institution)
-How they were made (process)
-Why they were made (purpose)
-Who tey were made for (audience)
-What rules were followed when making them (conventions and genre)

















 H/W- keep the media diary for a week

Semiotics

                     


Semiotics- signs and signifies in print media.
Connotations-The meaning behind the different camera angles and symbols.
Denotation(Describing a media subject)

Compare the two media products:
-What are the denotative elements?
-What are the connotative elements?
-What evidence is there that these products are seeking different audiences?

-The denotative elements of the images tell us that they are CD covers for two artists Adele and Kendrick Lamar and as we know these are two famous singers. Both CD covers have and image of the singer. In Adele's cover we have a big close up shot as in Kendrick cover we have a medium shot. Also the title of the of Kendrick's Lamar's album had faded font.


The connotative elements of the images from Adele are: cover has a dark background  which shows that the designer wants us to focus our attention on the artist and from the first look at the image to know  its a CD cover. The big close up shot on the artist might suggest her popularity and that she only needs a picture of herself and everyone will know it is her as she is famous for her music.The dark background may also show that the album of the singer will be mysterious and based on emotional songs as darkness suggest something mysterious and unhappy.Adele's CD cover has a fragile look and she is emerging from the dark which creates a feminine look. Adele's CD cover also uses direct address as the camera is placed on eye level with the audience which may suggest that Adele in a way is encouraging you to buy or listen to her album.
The connotative elements of the image from Kendrick Lamar are: cover uses Kendrick Lamar image which wants to show the audience that the album will be focusing on him. The faded font draws our attention which might mean that the artist had a rough life. The designer of the album cover uses dark background which may suggest that Kendrick's Lamar's album will be based on aggressive music and it will probably will be a rap as he is a well knows singer for his rap music. Kendrick Lamar dosent had his eye on the camera which creates a possible element of enigma as we don't know what he is thinking about and why he is not looking at the audience.

-These two products are seeking different audience because in Adele's albums cover she uses herself as a background this can infer that the music she has made in the album will be mostly for women as she is female. In contrast Kendrick's Lamar's album had a aggressive look and also has a title of 'Good kid in a mad City' this may suggest that his album will be based on rap music and will mostly seek male audience as mostly males like rap music.

Introduction to Semiotics

                                             Media Language and film production 


-New Media is a Sign Language that we read more or less fluently, but we also often read media      language without working our meanings...
-We are surrounded by Media texts. On an average day you will probably see 300 adverts for instance and not even notice most of them.

-The reading of media texts such as a film or a film poster can be understood through SEMIOTICS.
SEMIOTICS-sign language-the reading of signs.

-We can devise the media language of a media text up into its Technical Codes
-Its Mise-en-scene
-And the representative codes of the actors/subjects

Iconic-signs that represent something
actors can also become icons in cinema

-Indexical-signs that can be linked to a certain meaning
E.g.(Lightening in a film could indicate a horror film or a thriller for instance or indicate danger
        -A river could indicate a journey
         A tower block could indicate a 'realist' drama in a film.)

Symbolic Signs
A flag can be a symbol in film: a symbol of freedom in Captain America
Or have a more ambiguous meaning as in Born on the Fourth of July
Audiences 'read' media language and makers create meaning for the audience through signs
-The signs can be signifies of genre.

Signifiers and the Signified

-The sinifier is the physical form of the sign... the signified is what it means...

The Camera Shot-Low angles shot-shoot someone from below and they can look powerful often used on posters.
we could say that this use of came angle Signifies power.

The camera Angles-shoot someone looking directly into the camera at eye level and they meet your eyeline- it looks like they are appealing to us directly.

Where the camera is placed is important to representation of gender and genre...(making the the character look young)

Camera and Lighting work together to make meaning:
-the camera shot, form beneath the use of lighting from above to create a halo around the actresses head is vital and soft 3-pint lighting creates a feminine look.

The lighting is crucial in a film Noir...
-Here Janet Jones is shown as turning into noir 'anti-heroine' by stealing the money from her boss. The lighting shows it is a thriller.

The costumes and sets of a musical are key to its genre.

Colour is an important sign that the audience 'reads'
-However the color could have more than one meaning...
-This means the sign is Polysemic=has many meanings:for instance how could we read this poster?
The use of color does not suggests a straight forward meaning.

The meaning of a sign can be anchored or 'fixed' with text or dialogue or a caption.

-There are several meanings suggested in this poster by the imagery, camera shots, the presentational codes of the character and the colours.
-but the story of the film still seems mysterious.
-Remember you want to create an Enigma for your audience with a film or poster or trailer so they have clues but cant fully predict what will happen.


Key Terms
Semiotics-The Audience reads signs
Connotations-The meaning behind the different camera angles and symbols.
Polysemic-a sign or image or color may have.
Anchorage-text and explanation is used to create meaning( name of the product)
Enigma -creating a puzzle or a mystery for the audience
Continuity Editing-
Digetic and non digetic sound-
Ellipsis-
Presentational Codes-
Indexical Images-
Signifiers and the signified-
Iconic Images-




Link to:
Word Document-Give us a Hand (Poster)

Key Concept

                                       

 

-Media Language
-Institutions(companies like Disney)
-Genres(Films:comedy)
-Representation(World represented through media)
-Audience( The people that are targeted)
-Ideology(Idea behind the film)
-Narrative(The way the story is told e.g. Using humor)
-Evaluation(Seeing what the audience enjoy by putting your feet in their shoes)
-Denotation(Describing a media subject)
-Connotation(Imagery: Guessing the meaning what will happen just from looking at the picture and what genre it is)

Language-Understanding the use of colors, designs, sound to create effect and meaning to the audience.
Analysis-Looking at:-Key words
                                       - Analysis texts
                                       -Understanding hidden meaning

Direct address- the character staring straight into the camera.

Institutions-key concepts is about people and companies responsible for creating and distributing the media texts.also to do with structures within media such as advertising.

Audiences-key concepts of Audience is about the effect of the media on people, it is also about the way texts are constructed to appeal to audiences and the idea of a Mass audience.

Representation- the key concept is about attitudes of people that are betrayed.

                                                              MEDIA KEY CONCEPTS

MEDIA LANGUAGE- (camera shots, sound effects, music, editing, color, lighting, font, graphics)

INSTITUTION- (media institutions such as c4, BBC, Warner Bros, The Times, News International).

GENRE- (category or type of media poster – this is defined by visual codes and narrative conventions. )

REPRESENTATION- Re-presenting of people and places - how those things are portrayed in media products.

AUDIENCE- the people we are aiming the media product to and the people who will watch, buy, consume etc the media products.

IDEOLOGY-  (The idea the deeper meaning behind  the media product or story for instance ‘Money doesn't buy you love')    

NARRATIVE- (The way the story is told every media product tells a story e.g.(Advert, Poster, Song)

EVALUATION  - Assesing and analyzing different media products. 

Link to:
Word Document- Back to the Future (Film Poster)