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PiXLGateway:Progression

- MediaStudies-

WelcometoyourMediaStudiesY11toY12transitionbooklet

AtKS5MediaStudiesisunderpinnedbyfourKEYCONCEPTSthatyouwilllearnabout:

• MEDIALANGUAGE• REPRESENTATION• AUDIENCE• MEDIAINDUSTRIES

AlongsidetheseyouwillalsolearnarangeofDIGITALPRODUCTIONskillsThisbookletisgoingtotakeyouthrougharangeofactivitiesthataredesignedtoprepareyouforstudyingMediaStudiesatKS5Contents

• MediaLanguage p.2checkthese• Representation p.2• MediaIndustries p.3• Audience p.3• MediaProduction pp.4–6

Appendix(DevelopingIndependentResearch)WiderReadingMediaTheoristsMediaTerminologyResearch

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MediaLanguage Medialanguagereferstohowmediaproductscommunicatewithanaudience.Thisismainlydonethroughtheuseofvisuallanguage.Youwillfindthatmediatextscommunicatemeaningthroughtheuseofsignsandsymbols.TerminologyTask-Writeyourowndefinitionsofthesekeymedialanguageterms:• Denotation• Connotation• Representation• Symboliccodes• Targetaudience

• Preferredreading• Polysemy• Encoding• Decoding• Anchorage

TextualAnalysisInorderto understandhowMEDIALANGUAGEworksyouaregoing topractiseanalysingtwodifferentprintadvertsandexplain howmeaningiscreatedwithinthem.Youshouldfindone advertthatrepresentswomeninapositivewayandone advertthatrepresentstheminanegativeway.For eachoftheadvertsyoushouldexplainthefollowing:1.Whatisthetargetaudienceforthetext?Howdoyouknowthis?2.Whatassumptionsabouttheaudienceandtheirvalues/beliefsareimpliedwithinthetext?3.Howmightdifferentaudiencesrespondtothistextindifferentways?4.Howhavetechnicalcodes,suchascamerashotsandangles,andsymboliccodessuchasbodylanguageandfacialexpressions,beenusedtopositiontheaudience?6.Aretheredifferentreadingsofthistext(polysemy)?Whatisthepreferredreading?7.Whyhavetheproducersusedmedialanguagetoconstructthisrepresentationofgender?

Representation

Representationreferstohowthemediaportraysevents,issues,individualsandsocialgroups.ManytheoristssuchasStuartHallandDavidGauntletthaveexploredthenotionthatthemediadonotactuallyreflecttheworld,buttheyshapeitthroughtheirrepresentations.Task:WatchthisshortfilmfromtheYouTubechannel‘TheSchoolofLife’.https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=8&v=NwPdAZPnk7kQ.Doyouthinkthemediaofferaudiencesawindowontheworld?

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ProduceaPrezipresentationthatexploresthequestionabove,Youshouldincludeexamplesfrommediatextstosupportyourpoints.

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MediaIndustries Mediaindustriesrefertothebusinessaspectofthemedia.Asmediastudentsyouwillbeexploringhowdifferentmediaindustriesproduce,distributeandmarkettheirproducts.

Researchingkeyterms-Researchthemeaningofthesekeyterms.Youshouldwriteyourowndefinitions(makesureyouunderstandwhatyouarewriting):

• Conglomerate• Oligopoly• Regulation• Synergy• Convergence

• Mainstream• Independent• Ideology• Hegemony• Democracy

Mainstreammediaproductsareoftenproducedbybigglobalconglomeratesthathavealargeamountofpowerwithintheindustry.

Watchthisdocumentaryaboutpressownership:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2FnbbgUIO4wTask:CarryoutacasestudyresearchtaskintoRupertMurdoch’sNEWSCORP.Aspartofthisyoushouldproduceamind-mapillustratingallofthecompaniestheyownacrossdifferentmediaforms.WriteyourfindingsupasateachingresourcethatcouldbeusedwithGCSEstudentsstudyingMediaOwnership.

AudienceWhatwouldbethepointofanymediatextiftherewasnoaudiencetoconsumeit?WithinMediaStudies‘audience’referstohowdifferentformsofmediatarget,reachandaddressaudiences.Wealsoexplorehowtogrouppeopleintoaudiencesandhowthesegroupsresponddifferentlytodifferentmediatexts.OnewayofgroupingaudiencestogetherisbylookingattheirPSYCHOGRAPHICprofile.Watchthisvideohttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xhby7s9OJv0andthencarryoutyourownresearchintopsychographicgroupings.Task:ProduceanINFOGRAPHICexplainingthesevendifferentpsychographicgroups.Foreachgroupyoushouldincludeadescriptionoftheirmembers’personalities,examplesofmediatextstheywouldchoosetoconsumeandwhytheywouldchoosethesetexts.

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MediaProductionThenewspecificationsatA-LevelaresplitbetweenexaminedworkandNEA(non-examinedassessment)coursework.ThistypicallyaccountsforonethirdofyourfinalALevelgrade.

Developingyourdigitalproductionskills

Inordertoprepareforthissectionofthecourseyoushouldworkondevelopingyourownproductionskillsoverthesummer.Chooseone(orbothifyouarefeelingambitious)oftheseproductionbriefs:

Brief1:MagazineProductionDesignandcreatethefrontpage,contentspageandadoublepagespreadforanewlifestylemagazineaimedatafashionconscious18-25ABdemographicaudience.Youcanchoosewhetherthiswouldbeamainstreamorindependentmagazine,butwhicheveryouchooseitshouldclearlyfollowtheconventionsofthemediumwithinthatfield.Youshouldthinkcarefullyaboutthefollowingaspects:

• TheNAME–whatisthebrandname?Whataretheconnotationsofthisname?Howdoesitappealtothetargetaudience?Whatdoesitsuggestaboutthemagazine?

• USP(uniquesellingpoint)–whatistheUSPofyourmagazinebrand?Whatgapinthemarketdoesitfill?Whatdoesitoffertheaudiencethatisdifferenttoothercurrentmagazines?

• AUDIENCE–howareyougoingtoappealtothetargetaudience?• WhatUSESandGRATIFICATIONSdoesthemagazineoffertheaudience?• CONTENT–whatissuesareexploredwithinthemagazine?Howarethecontents

organisedintodifferentsectionsinthecontentspage?• AESTHETICSTYLE–whatcolourpalettesandtypefacehaveyouchosentorepresent

thebrandandappealtothetargetaudience?Whatmainimagehaveyouchosenforthecoverpagetograbtheaudience’sattentionandcommunicatethegenreofthemagazine?

Brief2:MusicVideoProductionShootandeditthefirstminuteofamusicvideoforanysongofyourchoice.Yourvideocaneitherbeanarrativevideo,performancebasedoramixofboth.Whichevergenreyouchoosetoworkin,youmustremembertoclearlyencodegenresignifiersthroughoutthefootage.Youshouldalsothinkcarefullyaboutthefollowingaspects:

• CAMERASHOTS,ANGLESandMOVEMENTS–howdotheseengagetheaudienceandworkwiththegenreofmusic?Rememberthecameraneedstokeepmovingtokeeptheaudienceinterested.

• MISE-EN-SCENE–howhaveyouincludedprops,locationsandsettingstoengagetheaudienceandcommunicatethegenre?

• WhatUSESandGRATIFICATIONSdoesthemusicvideooffertheaudience?Whywouldtheyenjoywatchingthis?

• HowhaveyouconstructedaSTARPERSONAinthemusicvideo?• HaveyouthoughtcarefullyaboutLIPSYNCINGandmatchingthevisualsandmusic?

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DevelopingyourDigitalTechnologySkills Alargepartofthemediaworldinvolvesembracingdigitaltechnologies.DevelopmentsintechnologiesandadvancementsofWeb2.0meansaudiencesarenowbecomingproducersoftheirownmediaproducts,fromshootinganduploadingtheirownfilmsonYouTube,todesigningandmaintainingtheirownblogs.Asaconfidentmediaproducer,youshouldusethesummerholidaystofamiliariseyourselfwiththetechnologieslistedbelow,andhavesomefunproducingyourown.

1. Blogging-Createyourownblogtorecordyoursummeradventureswww.blogger.com

2. GraphicDesign-CreateyourowngraphicdesignproductsandvideosusingAdobeSparkhttps://spark.adobe.com/home

3. Sharinganddistributingyourowncontent-CreateyourownYouTubechanneltouploadyourownvideos,andthensharewithfriendsandfamilyhttps://www.youtube.com

4. Websitecreation-Createyourownwebsitehttps://www.wix.com/

TEDTalks

HereisalistoflinkstoTEDtalksthatareconnectedtotheconceptsexploredwithinMediaStudies:https://www.ted.com/talks/alisa_miller_shares_the_news_about_the_newshttps://www.ted.com/talks/johanna_blakley_social_media_and_the_end_of_genderhttps://www.ted.com/talks/david_puttnam_what_happens_when_the_media_s_priority_is_profitTEDTalksPlaylisthttps://www.ted.com/playlists/21/media_with_meaningYoushouldwatchthevideosaboveandthinkaboutthekeypointsraisedineachone.AnalyticalTask:Writeablurbexplainingwhateachtalkisabout,andthenaddyourthoughtsonthistalk.CreativeTask:ProduceyourownstyleTEDtalkexploringoneofthekeyMediaconcepts(outlinedinthisbooklet)thatinterestsyou.Ifyoudon’twanttofilmyourselfyoucoulddoitasa‘DrawmyLife’stylevideo.Youcoulduseawebsitesuchaswww.powtoon.comtohelpyouproducethis.

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APPENDIX(DevelopingIndependentStudy)

WiderReading

MediaTheory

ResearchingMediaTechnicalCodes

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WiderReading Assixthformstudentsitisessentialthatyoudevelopyourindependentlearningskillsandcarryoutwiderreadingaroundyoursubject.HereisalistofbooksandwebsiteswhichwillhelpyouprepareforthetheoreticalaspectoftheMediaStudiescourse.

BooksMedia,GenderandIdentitybyDavidGauntlettFeminismisforEverybodybybellhooksFeministMediaStudiesbyLiesbetvanZoonenGenderTroublebyJudithButlerAfterEmpirebyPaulGilroyThereAin'tNoBlackInTheUnionJackPaulGilroyMediaRegulationbyLuntandLivingstoneHereComesEverybodybyClayShirkyCognitiveSurplus:CreativityandGenerosityinaConnectedAgebyClayShirkyRepresentation:CulturalRepresentationsandSignifyingPracticesEditedbyStuartHallPowerwithoutResponsibility:Press,BroadcastingandtheInternetinBritainbyJamesCurranTheCulturalIndustriesbyDavidHesmondhalghConvergenceCulture:WhereOldandNewMediaCollidebyHenryJenkins

WebsitesTheMediaGuardian:https://www.theguardian.com/uk/mediaEMC’sMediaMagazine:https://www.englishandmedia.co.uk/media-magazine(wellworthsubscribingto)BritishFilmInstitute:http://www.bfi.org.uk/UniversityGuidetoMediacourses:https://www.topuniversities.com/courses/communication-media-studies/guide

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MediaTheoristsDuringtheMediaStudiescourseyouwillencountermanymediatheoriststhathavestudiedvariousareasofthemedia.Inordertogiveyouaheadstartyoushouldresearchasmanyofthesetheoristsaspossibleandproduceadocumentthatoutlinestheirkeytheorieslinkedwitheachoftheconceptsbelow:

MediaLanguageSemiology–RolandBarthesNarratology–TodorovGenreTheory–SteveNealeStructuralism–ClaudeLevi-StraussPostmodernism–Baudrillard

MediaRepresentationsTheoriesofRepresentation–StuartHallTheoriesofIdentity–DavidGauntlettFeministTheory–VanZoonenFeministTheory–bellhooksTheoriesofGenderPerformativity–ButlerTheoriesAroundEthnicity,andPost-ColonialTheory–Gilroy

MediaIndustriesPowerandMediaIndustries–JamesCurranandJeanSeatonRegulation–LivingstoneandLuntCulturalIndustries–Hesmondhalgh

MediaAudiencesMediaEffects–BanduraCultivationTheory–GeorgeGerbnerReceptionTheory–StuartHallFandom–HenryJenkins‘EndofAudience’Theories–ClayShirky

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InvestigatingTechnicalCodes BelowisalistofkeytechnicaltermsthatwillsupportyouwithinyourMediaStudiescourse.Tohelpyouprepare for thecourseyoushouldbeginby researchingandwritingyourowndefinitionofthekeytermsbelow.Youcouldalsoincludetheeffectofthetechnicalcode.

Camerawork and photography create meaning and communicatemessagesthrough:

FramingMediumshot Close-up Longshot Mediumclose-up Extremeclose-up Mediumlongshot Establishingshot Overhead Pointofview(POV) Two-shot Overshouldershot

AnglesHighangle Lowangle Cantedangle(Dutch)

MovementStatic Pan Whippan Tilt Track Dolly Crane Hand-held(Steadicam®) Zoom Aerial

CompositionAspectratio Ruleofthirds Depthoffield(deepandshallowfocus)

Focuspulls

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ColourWarm Cold Blackandwhite Monochromaticpalette Exposure Filters ColourHue

VisualEffectsGreen/bluescreen Computer-generatedimagery(CGI)

Slowmotion Fastmotion Freezeframe

Lightingisusedtocreatemeaningandcommunicatesmessagesthrough:

DirectionandShadowsOverheadlighting Underlighting Sidelighting

ColourWarm Cold Natural

QualityHardlighting Softlighting Highkey Lowkey

Editingtechniquescreatemeaningandcommunicatemessagesthrough:

NarrativesequencingContinuityediting Non-continuityediting 180degreerule Cutaways Shot/reverseshot Eyelinematch

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Actionmatch Cross-cutting Flashbackorflashforward Intercutting Parallelediting Ellipticalediting Montage

TransitionsContinuitycuts Jumpcuts Fadeinandfadeout Wipe Dissolve

Soundcreatesmeaningandcommunicatesmessagesthrough:Diegeticsound Non-diegeticsound Ambientsound Synchronoussound Asynchronoussound Foleysound Soundbridges

MusicSoundtrack Score Incidentalmusic Thememusic Sound/musicalmotifs

DialogueVoice-over Modeofaddress Directaddress Accent

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© The PiXL Club Ltd. June 2018

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