Media Studies Revision

1. Media Studies Revision

2. Media Key Concept • GRANITE • Every media text belongs to a Genre(e.g. a horror film, dance track, teen magazine) • Within that text, a person, place or object is being Represented in some way, shape or form. • The Audience for that media text will make sense of it using their personal and shared experiences. • The text also contains a Narrative, be it a photograph of war or some bad gangsta lyrics about pimping your uncle • The text is constructed by theIdeology embedded within the text. • It was produced using someTechnology, be it a Desk Top Publishing software or hardware • TheEvidence is the product itself which you can then reference against other Experiences you've had with similar Media

3. Genre • Genres are defined by filmmakers and understood by audiences through shared conventions and codes. Genre which is easily identified by audiences who have expectations about what a particular film are called generic codes and conventions. But films are also a good at illustrating how genres can evolve into hybrids.

4. Representation • This is when an idea is re-presented by the media texts • Despite the media being false or true, we still accept it • Common factors that represent media: Age, Ethnicity, Gender,& Disability We need to think about: • Who produced it? • What/who is represented in the text? • How is that thing represented? • Why was this particular representation selected? • What might the alternatives have been? • What frame of reference does the audience use when understanding the representation?

5. Audience • People who consume any media text • Without audience there will be no media, no profit • Mass audience (broadcast audience): Mainstream, large group • Niche audience: smaller but influential with unique interest Categories: • Group A: Well paid professionals, doctors, lawyers • Group B: Fairly well paid professionals, teacher • Group C1: ‘white collar’ nurses, junior jobs • Group C2: ‘blue collar’ electricians ,plumbers • Group D: manual workers, drivers, post sorters • Group E: students, unemployed, pensioners

6. Narrative • Essentially, narrative is examining the story and organisation of a media text. • A story that is created in a constructed format, that describes a series of fictional or non-fictional events • Gender • Character • Form • Time • Joseph Campbell had a theory called The Hero’s Journey. Which has three acts • Departure • Initiation • Return

7. Ideology • Dominant Ideology refers to the set of values, beliefs and ideas held by an Institution, organisation or audience • Hegemony fits in with the beliefs to ‘fit in’ & keep their objections quiet Examples: • Power • Education • Gender • Sexuality • Racism • Feminism • Nationality • Ownership • Stereotypes • Identity • Youth & politics • Crime

8. Institution • Creates & distributes media products • Logos: to establish what they are • Brand: Symbolises what it is • Conglomerates: a company that owns other large company's • ASA: Advertising Standard Agency which make sure all ads are legal, decent honest & truthful • Regulation: monitors ads, protects people from inappropriateness & unsuitable ads. • Censorship: where media text cause harmful/ sensitive to the audience • Its more about the Institutions care about branding and recognition rather than audience pleasures and satisfactions.

9. Technology • Technology has changed the way that we consume traditional media products and it is worth examining for ideas and inspiration. • TV is now being produced in HD and films are experimenting with new technologies all the time, driving industries forward.  • Audiences also drive demand for new technologies, and this illustrates the reliance upon audience and producer co-working together to satisfy demands. • The olden Titanic is now being released in 3D!

10. Audio Codes • Sound • Diegetic • Non-Diegetic

11. Sound • Diegetic Sound – sound that can be heard by the characters within a scene • Non-diegetic Sound – sound that the characters cannot hear and is not part of the imaginary world of the story • Score – The musical component of a programme’s soundtrack • Sound Effects – sounds that are added to a film during the post-production stage.

12. Technical Codes • Camera Angles • Lighting • Editing

13. Editing • Editing: sound and images are organised into an overall narrative • Continuity Editing: create a sense of reality and time moving forward • Jump Cut: cut between two similar shots • Credits: the information at the beginning and end of a film, which gives details of cast and crew • Cross Cutting: the editing technique of altering one narrative with another usually in different locations or places • Cutaways: a shot that interrupts a scene & goes back • Freeze Frame: stopping a film in order to focus in on one event • Eye-line Match: shot of what the character has been looking at • Flashback: an event that happened earlier in the film’s narrative. • Graphic Match: two different objects of the same shape are dissolved from one into the other • Juxtaposition: the placement of images on either side of an edit • Linear Narrative:a style of storytelling in which events happen chronologically. • Montage Editing:the juxtaposition of seemingly unconnected images in order to create meaning. • Parallel Editing: two locations are cut together • Visual Effects: alter previously-filmed elements by adding, removing or enhancing objects • Match on Action:A shot that emphasises continuity of space and time by matching the action of the preceding shot with the continuation of the action

14. Other Terms • Artificial Light: A source of light created by lighting equipment, rather than from natural sources • Convention: a frequently used element which becomes standard • Disequilibrium: the period of instability and insecurity in a film’s narrative • Enigma:the question or mystery that is posed within a film’s narrative. • Equilibrium:a state of peace and calm, which often exists at the beginning of a film’s narrative • Framing:the selection of elements such as characters, setting and iconography that appear within a shot • Genre:a film identification • Iconography:the objects within a film that are used to evoke particular meanings • Intertextuality:reference within a film to another film, media product, work of literature or piece of artwork

15. Camera Shot • Ariel Shot: shot taken from an overhead position • Close Up: object is shown on a large scale • Extreme Close Up: frame the scale very large, to show part of body • Medium Shot: scale of object is in moderate size, waist up • Two Shot: shot of 2 characters, usually to establish a sort of relationship • POV Shot: camera placed in the characters eyes • Over the Shoulder Shot: looking behind a characters shoulder • Overhead Shot: over the head shot • Reaction Shot: a shot that cuts away from main scene to show the reaction

16. Camera Angles • Camera Angle: position of the camera • High Angle: looking down • Low Angle: looking up • Canted Framing: frame is not levelled, appearing tipped

17. Camera Movement • Pan: movement of the camera from left to right vice versa on a tripod, produces space horizontally • Track: camera follows the object • Crane Shot: moving through the air in any direction on a crane • Steadicam: smooth shot, when camera is moved very fast • Tilt: camera movement by swivelling upward or downward, Producing space vertically • Zoom lens: lens that change during a shot

18. Visual Codes • Mise-En-Scene • Colour • Connotations

19. Denotation/Connotation • Denotationrefers to the literal meaning of a word, the "dictionary definition.“ For example, if you look up the word snake in a dictionary, you will discover that it means"any of numerous scaly, legless, sometimes venomous." • Connotation, on the other hand, refers to the associations or the emotional suggestions related to that word. The connotations for the word snake could include evil or danger.

20. Mise-En-Scene • Mise en scene: put into the frame • Props: object used • Costume: colour & style can have an impact on the character • Lighting: the harshness or softness represents the mood • Makeup: this can refer to masks, prosthetics and special effects.

21. Green • Improve vision • Nature, calming, refreshing • Dark green is masculine, conservative, and implies wealth • Could bring bad luck for fashion • Yellow • Cheerful, attention, optimistic • Overpowering if overused • Concentration, metabolism • Purple • Royalty, luxury, wealth & sophistication • Feminine & romantic • Appear artificial • Brown • Solid, reliable ,earth • Light brown implies genuineness • dark brown wood or leather. • Sad, wistful Colour Psychology • Black • Authority, power & overpowering • Makes people appear thinner& stylish • Black also implies submission & Evil • White • Innocence, purity, light, summer & neutral • Doctors and nurses wear white to imply sterility • Red • Emotionally intense colour, love, noticeable, • Red cars are popular targets for thieves • Furniture gets attention • Pink • Romantic & girly • Blue • Popular & loyalty • Opposite reaction as red. • Peaceful, calm &productive • Cold &depressing. • Good in gyms

22. Audience Theory • TheHypodermic Needle Model: From the 1920s this theory explained how the mass audience react to mass media. Suggesting that the audience receive information without attempting to challenge the data. Governments have found ways to persuade audience and produced propaganda to try & change the way people think • The Two Step Flow: In 1940it was suggested that the reaction from the media comes from an ‘Opinion Leader’ and then onto the individual following that leader. • The Use & Gratification has been developed where in 1948 Lasswell suggested Surveillance, Correlation, Entertainment & Cultural transmission where the functions for an individual reacting towards media. Where Blumler & Katz expanded this theory in 1974 stating that the audience may use these the purpose: • Diversion: escape from everyday routine/problem • Personal Relationships: emotional use/ subbing a character for yourself • Personal Identity: reflecting yourself/ learning behaviours & values • Surveillance: information that could be useful • Reception Theory: The audiences circumstance (gender, class, age, ethnicity), When text is encoded by the producer & decoded by the reader , where Stuart Hall had a theory of 3 where: • Dominant:audience agree with the values • Negotiated:Audience agree with the values but disagree with certain aspects • Oppositional:audience disagree with the values

23. Genres in films • Action: high energy, big-budget physical stunts & chase, rescues, battles, escapes, destruction, rhythm & pace Sub-Genre: Disaster film e.g. Space Alien Invaders Attack Los Angeles: Battle Los Angeles 2011 • Adventure: exciting, historical searches, expeditions, lost continents • Comedies: light hearted, amuse, exaggerated • Crime: criminals, bank robbers, underworld, law • Dramas: serious, plot, realistic, life stories • Epics: historical, imagined event, mythic, legendary • Horror: frighten, worst fears. Supernatural & fantasy • Musicals: song & dance routines • Sci-Fi: imaginative, heroes, aliens, planets, futuristic • War: heartbreak of war, fight on land or sea Has many Subs • Westerns: American film industry, recognisable plot

24. Fonts

25. Film Industry Institution & Audience • Issues are raised by media ownerships • Importance in media goes across production, distribution & marketing • Technologies have been introduced at the level of production, distribution, marketing & exchange • The audience are changing • Translations: old practises are kept intact • Localization: take advantage of the technology, making things more efficient