Introduction

You have 2 minutes to draw a picture of yourself.

http://www.online-stopwatch.com/eggtimer-countdown/full-screen/

What you have just completed is a representation of yourself.

This is the key concept that underpins our study of media texts this year.

Deconstruction

Swap your picture with someone else. That person will now offer a deconstruction of that representation, focussing on:

1. WHY you think the creator has chosen to represent him or herself in this way (think beyond the obvious and explore alternative reasons)

2. Think of HOW audiences could respond to this text. Think of at least two different responses.

How can representations in photographs be constructed?

(What creative options does the photographer have?)

Task 1:

Your group will be given a headline and a camera. Use your camera to convey the headline through image alone. Think about the tone and emotional impact that you think the headline should carry.

• Students achieve best exam results on record• Students achieve worst exam results on record• Bullying on the increase• School wins victory over bullying• Students are wealthier than 20 years ago• 3/4 of local students live in poverty• Smartphones blamed for poor student

performance• Uproar as school bans mobile devices• Student found guilty of murder• Student hits the jackpot

Task 2:

View each other’s images and write down:

1. What you think the headline could be2. How young people have been

constructed/represented in the image.

Task 3:

There are some problems with representation:

PROBLEM 1: INTERTEXTUALITY

1. Watch the opening of Shrek 2. How many intertextual reference can you identify?

2. Broadly speaking, how may intertextuality affect a representation?

Task 4:

There are some problems with representation:

PROBLEM 2: MEDIA INFLUENCE

If media texts influence real life? How may this affect a representation?

(See a description of Stuart Hall’s theory in Dan Laughey’s Media Studies reader)