AS Media Studies TV Drama 2011-12

Wednesday 31 October 2012

Media Terminology Define what we mean

Media Terminology:

Semiotonics- The science of signs. (Barthes 1964.)

Denotation- e.g: a Rose= flower/ garden plant.

Connotation- what the Rose reprents... e.g: love, death, rugby, it is a personal frame of referance.

Different forms of analysis:

Micro Elements: Mise en scene- clothes, hair/make-up, location, lighting, props.
Sounds- music, dialect, effects.
Editing.
Camera angles, movement and composition.

Macro Elements: The narrative, representation, audience, genre. All of the micro elements work together to impact on these macro elements.

Verisimilitude: Creates realism for the audience, e.g: The editing and locations of the scenes.

Proximinty: where they are on the screne/their distance from the camera.

Diegetic- Sounds that are natural.

Non-diegetic- Sounds that have been put on during editing.

Mode of address- The tone in which characters interact with each other.

Binary Opposition- uses a character to set the scene and introduce other characters.

Thursday 3 May 2012

Homework due 7th May

1. Read this article - Pirate Bay blocked by UK High Court Order

2. Match up each of the 7 following points with the corresponding Case Study picture image

3. Match up the Terminology words that are significant to each of the 7 points

4. Write a 25 word response explaining the argument behind each point and how it fits the Case Study examples (see pictures) using the Terminology you matched up

1.Visualisation
(Hint: As music is becoming less tangiable is it becoming more visual and interactive?)

2. Purity - synthetic vs authentic
(Hint: Is music fooder/spare parts - Remix, repackage, sample, autotune?)

3. Soundscape
(Hint: Some record labels have responded by creating interest in their back catalogue of music to be remixed/repackaged etc.)

4. Expectation of Free Music
(Hint: Attitude that music is 'free' which de-values music, does this effects investment in new talent?)

5. Co-option between artist & building relationship and community with Fans

6. Prosumers & audiences that collaberate online make the Industry more Democratic
Fan groups that make parodies, own music videos, mash ups, heirarchies of what is liked

7. Audiences = Pirates - or - a Community of Creative and Collaberative Fans
They break copyright laws which protects artists rights to earn money from their music - or - part of the process/in relationship supporting the artist.

Terminology:

Convergence

Production

Distribution & Marketing

Exchange

Synergy

Vertical Integration

Web 2.0

A&R

Major

Independent

Co-option

Wednesday 28 March 2012

EASTER EXAM PREP Task 3 Music Industry Exam Answer

For your final task over the 2 week break to prepare for the upcoming exam you must look at an example of a top grade response and a lower grade answer

Your objective is

To understand how the marks are awarded for the exam

To identify the arguments/debates that have been discussed by the student that awarded the L4 grade

To write up your notes into an essay plan

Essay 2 - is this L4

Essay 1 - is this L4

1. Read both & decide which is the L4?

2. How are they different?

3. Look at the mark scheme, what is required for a L4 (Analysis, Example, Terminology)

4. Copy the essay into Word & highlight in colour the aspects that cover:

Analysis

Example

Terminology

5. Now underline the Argument/Debates the student puts forward to answer the question

6. Summarise these Arguments as a bullet point list - 5 points they have made

7. Write a 25 word commentary explaining how these arguments match & answer the question

8. Post 6 & 7 comment to this blog post

(I'll give you the answer first lesson when we return so make sure you have done this)

9. Now go through your Music Label Case Study, your notes/my blog

10. Create an essay plan as follows:

Introduction: 30 words

Answer the question: what are the issues of Ownership. What is production, what is exchange? THINK MUSICOPOLY!!!

Main Body: 90 words

Your Argument(s) - 5 points - examples (from your case study or class)

Conclusion: 30 words

Re-enforce your answer to the question - what is your side of the argument?

11. Post your 150 word essay plan as a reply comment to this post

Use your Record Label Case Study for your examples - we will be reviewing your essay plans as part of the first lesson back.

Exam 15th May = 4 term weeks/12 teaching sessions remain

Good Luck!

EASTER EXAM PREP Task 1 TV Drama FINAL MOCK PRACTICE

Homework For Easter - your exam is 15th May.

4 weeks away = 12 more teaching sessions.

(Plus 2 weeks to prepare over Easter)

Your Homework as follows:

1. Research the representation of Sexuality (this was January's exam). Look at the exam clip

Write up a mock exam essay response - use the following headings to structure your answer

1. Character comparison - Who are the important characters and how are they different based on their Sexuality, what is their role in the story?

2. How is it re-enforcing or challenging the stereotype of Heterosexual Men or Lesbians?

3. Is this a positive or negative - are they villain, hero, victim?

4. Status - who has the power and (is it Physical power?), who is vulnerable/weaker?

5. Difference between the characters - how are they portrayed as Opposites?

REMEMBER SEXUALITY IS OFTEN TIED UP WITH IDEAS OF GENDER - MASCULINE WOMEN AND EFFEMINATE MEN - DONT FORGET TO TIE THIS INTO SEXUALITY

6. Mise en scene - what is significant is constructing meaning> Sexuality?

a) Costume (lack of)

b) Hair, Appearance

c) Location

d) Lighting

e) Props

f) Colours

7. Cam - what is significant is constructing meaning> Sexuality?

a) What angles or shots tie into status?

b) What shot types do Film/TV use when looking at a female bodies? (MALE GAZE).

c) What is the composition of the shot telling you about relationships between the characters & power?

d) Is the camera moving or handheld - what is this telling you about the characters/emotions?

8. Editing - what is significant is constructing meaning> Sexuality?

a) Narrative: how is the story edited/told - who are we positioned with?

b) Prominance - who has most screen time, who motivates the cuts?

c) Transitions - are they soft or harsh, how does this reflect the Sexuality?

d) Juxtapoistion - how have the scenes or shots been contrasted to say something?

e) Pace - does it change and why, what does this tell us about relationships/emotions/the characters?

9. Sound - what is significant is constructing meaning> Sexuality?

a) what music is used, emotion, feeling, ambience?

b) what sound effects are relevant?

c) how does the sound reflect/emphasise the images?

Remember to cover all 4 aspects
Get in as much Terminology as possible (Lesbian, Heterosexual, High Angle, Soundtrack is Parallel etc)
Link EVERYTHING back to representation

Post your responses by the end of Easter as a comment to this post

Good luck

Sunday 18 March 2012

Revision Links

Below are some links to clips on YouTube that you may like to use to practice your skills prior to the exam. Just use the usual question (How is ...... represented in this clip?) and explore how the media language creates the representation (Cinematography, Editing, Mise-en-Scene and Sound):

REPRESENTATION OF CLASS:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VTBOoW-hR-0&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL (Cranford)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V0Nd1grl834&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL (The Rotters' Club)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0zNX9voS4X4&feature=related (The Street)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qg_44jEzMXo&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL (Oliver Twist)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D099h6TRD0I (Footballers' Wives)

REPRESENTATION OF REGION:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4gfYWZzaTBI (Doc Martin)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvBKdaY8Y3w&feature=related (North and South)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0doKZFNWZXE (Larkrise to Candleford - longer than exam clip)

REPRESENTATION OF ETHNICITY:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uq9bK9YeTsI&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL (Spooks)