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How to Approach AS Unseen Analysis

M tudiesSedia

IntroductionYou will be asked a number of questions based on a previously unseen media text. The questions asked can vary but the approach to theexam should be the same as the exam requires students to apply their knowledge and understanding of the media concepts in order toanalyse and evaluate a media text.

The aims of this factsheet are:• To focus on the identification of media concepts and how to use them to respond to the unseen analysis question.• To consider the relationships between media concepts• To offer a method of ‘questioning’ any media text which will raise issues that can be used to evaluate the given text

What are the examiners looking for?• Analysis and evaluation skills (NOT description) - your ability

to evaluate reasons for or the effects of the media languagechoices made in the construction of the text

• An engagement on the issues raised in the text (via mediaconcepts)

• Understanding of the appropriate media concepts and theirapplication to the media text

• Justified and validated responses (NOT just personal opinion)using specific textual references

• Critical autonomy• Clear and fluent communication

Media ConceptsThe ‘tools’ needed to help you undertake an analysis are the mediaconcepts. In the exam the questions will focus on particular issuesraised by specific concepts.

What can you expect in the exam?The questions in the unseen analysis section of the same are alwaysroughly the same and you will be expected to use media conceptsanalyse the text provided. The texts could be any mass mediaproduction:••••• Moving Image: e.g.

o Cinema Trailero News broadcasto Extract from fictional text (film or broadcast fiction)o Advertisingo Documentaryo Extract from any form of entertainment programming

••••• Paper Based: e.g.o Advertisingo Magazineso Newspapers (local or national)

••••• E-media: e.g.o An extract from a web siteo Screen shots or sequences from a gameo A pod-cast

Activity 1

There are seven media concepts. Name them and provide a basic definition for each one. Complete the table by noting down anyspecific terms you have learnt related to these concepts.

M

I

G

R

A

I

N

Key Terms

Crop, Pan, Anchorage, Headline…

Stereotype, mediation…

Binary Opposition, Enigma Code…

Your definition

Institution: The business issues influencing a text’s construction.

Ideology: The ideas and values contained within a media text

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Many students ‘know’ their media concepts but don’t show howthey are related to each other in an exam response. Higher gradesare possible when links between media concepts are shown in anexam response.

Usually when analysing a text the first place we start is consideringthe media language but have you considered that…

• Institutional factors such as the budget available will affect MLchoices?

• Certain genres have codes that need to be replicated and so MLchoices are limited?

• Representations are an outcome of ML choices?

• Narrative information is given via ML?

• Often the target audience influences ML choices?

• Ideologies are created through the way ML choices are used?

AQA/WJEC/OCR?Each awarding body has an unseen analysis assessment in theexam. However, the questions in the exam will be focussed onspecific aspects of the texts provided and named media concepts.Always ensure you read the questions carefully and respond towhat is being asked but consider how the media concepts relateto one another in your answer.

Exam Hint:- In the WJEC specimen paper there is a questionwhich asks you to consider the target audience for a magazinebased on its front cover. A detailed answer to this questionwould consider how the media language createsrepresentations and values which are attempting to appeal toparticular people. In addition, the magazine will be followingrecognisable genre codes and creating narrative enigmas whichwill appeal and attract the target audience – fulfillingexpectations and offering new experiences.

Activity 2This is one of the promotional posters for Spiderman 3 (2007: dir. S. Raimi)

http://www.criticsrant.com/Images/criticsrant_com/DVD_Spider-Man%203/spiderman3poster.jpg

The Spiderman on the left is wearing his recognisable red and blue suit.However, on the right Spiderman wears a black suit with silver-grey detail.The sky in the background is golden.

Note down the media language choices made in the construction of thisposter.

Media language choices made?

If we accept that all media language choices have been made on purpose, then you need to consider WHY they have been made.Considering WHY is the most important part of analysing any text…

• WHY have those words been used and not others?• WHY have those colours been chosen?• WHY has the layout been presented this way?• WHY has this information been provided?

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6. Complete the following table for some of your observations

The answer to WHY is always a media concept issue (or several)For Example: One image of Spiderman shows him in the traditionalred and blue suit. Why?

Media LanguageObservation ?

Spiderman’s suitis red and blue

Institution

This acts as abrand signifier

Genre

This is theexpected lookfor Spidermanwithin thesefilms

Rep

The colours arepositive – theyalso reflect theAmerican flag

Audience

Audiences willfeel reassuranceas this is whatthey expect

Ideology

The idea of ‘hero’and America isbought together

Narrative

This identifieshim as the‘hero’

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Activity 31. Make a table based on the one above and try to make a

number of different media concepts points about 5 or 6 ofyour observations on the poster. You may not necessarilybe able to complete each row but you should aim to get atleast 3 or 4 media concepts comments per observation.

2. Put these answers in the table matching up with anappropriate aspect of the media language chosen. Thesestatements answer the question ‘why’ for various medialanguage choices – some for more than one.

••••• ?…creates the idea of conflict within the narrative

••••• ?…helps identify the film as being within the superherogenre

••••• ?…creates a sense of anticipation for the audience

••••• ?…links the hero with being American

••••• ?…provides a geographical marker identifying New Yorkas the setting for the film

••••• ?…informs the audience of the nature of the conflict withinthe film

••••• ?…represents the tone of the film as being ominous

••••• ?…is used as it is assumed the audience is familiar withthe series of films

••••• ?…connotes sunset and reinforces the representation ofthe film as being dark

••••• ?…connotes a familiar urban location

The Function of the TextAnother important way to consider what a text is doing is to workout what it is trying to achieve and to then identify how it is tryingto meet its function.

Media language choices are always made to attempt to meet theperceived functions of any media text so, the simple answer to thequestion, ‘Why are the media language choices made this way?’ is‘to meet the text’s functions’.

Media texts have many functions. Even something as basic as ashampoo advert is trying to achieve a number of things.

• To create recognition

• To make the shampoo appealing to the target audience

• To create a positive image for the brand

• To create a unique selling point that makes the brand differentto all the other shampoos available

• To show the actucal benefits of the product

• To imply benefits that go beyond what the product can actuallydo

• To offer the brand as part of a lifestyl

Whilst both of these brands offer the same products – shampoosand conditioners – their media language choices are very different.Each one is attempting to create a specific image for the brand andis trying to meet all the functions above in different ways.This iscrucial with an ‘everyday’ product like shampoo as each brand iscompeting against the others for customers and each brand offersthe same basic benefit – clean hair.

Back to Spiderman – The Functions of the Spiderman 3 posterThere are just some of the functions of the Spiderman poster.

• To encourage existing fans and new audiences to want to seethe new film

• To reinforce the genre of the film

• To give an indication of the narrative of the new film

• To create the right audience expectations of the film so audiencesare not disappointed

• To identify the themes of the new film to show how it is differentto the previous ones

• To show how the film is similar to the previous ones

http://images.google.co.uk/imgres

http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://bp1.blogger.com

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034. How to Approach AS Unseen Analysis Media Studieswww.curriculum-press.co.uk

Activity 4Complete these sentences:1. In order to attract existing fans to go to see the film the

producers of the poster have….

2. Audiences are aware of the genre of the film because theproducers of the poster have …

3. The audience’s expectations of this film are created by theuse of….

4. The themes of the film are identified by the use of…

5. The hero and the villain of the film are clearly identified inthe poster because the producers have …

6. The audience know this is a Hollywood Blockbuster becausethe poster includes …

7. Spiderman is represented as being…

8. The audience understand the conflict Spiderman will facein the film because the producers of the poster have…

All media language choices are made consciously and with apurpose. To do well in this type of assessment you need to show theexaminer you understand the thought process behind the text’sconstruction. The skills required are the same for moving image andpaper based texts – the only differences are the types of medialanguage choices available to the producer.

Once you are clear on these issues you should be able to identifythe reasons for the media language choices made in the text youare presented with.

Exam Hints:- As you begin your note taking for the unseenanalysis you need to ascertain the following for the text youare presented with: it would be a good idea to learn thesequestions before the exam!

1. What are the functions of the text?2. What type of text is it?3. Who is the text aimed at?4. How does the text attempt to fulfill its functions?5. How does the text attempt to attract and please the target

audience?

Preparing for an Unseen AnalysisIf there is no way of knowing what the text will be in the unseen,the common misconception is that there is no way to prepare for it.**Wrong!**

Analysis is a skill and, therefore, good analysis comes with practiceAnalysis in media studies needs to use the ‘conceptual framework’– that framework is the application of media concepts. This meanstwo things need to be done in preparation

• The media concepts need to be revised and understood fully –try to learn the terminology that goes with each concept

• You will need to do lots of practice analysing a broad range ofmedia texts, both moving image and paper based, using mediaconcepts. Don’t just analyse what you would choose to reador watch -it is very likely the text in the exam won’t be for ateenage audience.

More Exam Hints:-• When you begin to make notes on and write your analysis,

consider all seven media concepts and think about theimplications of the representations, narrative techniques,institutional context and genre codes for every medialanguage observation you make. Why have these choicesbeen made? Do not just describe what is there.

• Link the media concepts together in order to create areading of the text – don’t list and deal with each oneseparately – this will lead to shallow analysis and repetitione.g.o how the representations help identify the target

audience and can provide an ideological reading –perhaps because of characters’ narrative roles

o how the media language creates narrative markerswhich provide a particular set of audience pleasures

o how the genre codes frame audience expectations –perhaps ideological ones

o how the institutional context may lead to audienceexpectations and/or have particular ideologicalperspectives etc.

• Use technical terms for media language and give concreteexamples from the text

• Use specialist terminology for your media conceptdiscussion to show you have studied the subject and are notjust applying your general knowledge and/or common sense

• Don’t panic if you are given a text you are unfamiliar with– it shouldn’t matter if you have prepared a broad range oftexts... your media concept knowledge and analysis skillsshould be transferable to any media form or genre.

Acknowledgements: This Media Studies Factsheet was researched and written by Steph HendryCurriculum Press. Bank House, 105 King Street, Wellington, TF1 1NU. Media Factsheets may be copied free of charge by teaching staff or students,provided that their school is a registered subscriber. No part of these Factsheets may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in anyother form or by any other means, without the prior permission of the publisher. ISSN 1351-5136