Media Language - Mrs Shipp's thoughts

Your brief for Advanced Production was to produce a short film in its entirety so, when considering the media concept of language you need to consider that of film.

If ‘language’ is defined as how we communicate, then it can be interpreted in many levels when it comes to the medium of film. We know that each language consists of learnt “words, phrases, grammar, punctuation, rules and common practices” (Wohl, Michael; The Language of Film 2008). Therefore we could transfer this understanding to the micro elements of film, camera, sound, mise-en-scene, editing etc, and/or go to a deeper level of analysis with a detailed look at choices of shot sizes, match-on-action, rules of continuity, framing and how they are pieced/edited together to create a sentence and therefore a language of communication.

Unlike the other concepts in this part of the exam, we are not so much looking at what we are communicating but how we are communicating it. All of the decisions you made in your short films about which shots, angles, costume, set design, location, lighting, character movement, etc, play a part in this discussion.

Arguably the language of film can’t be discussed separately from genre, narrative, representation and audience as your knowledge of each of these influences the decisions you made throughout production.

When constructing the plot of your short film you were led by the conventions of the short film genre i.e.depicting an underlining message and constructing the story around the development of one character. (You’ll need to use examples of your film and those you’ve studied in here.) You also want your film to be successful with its target audience and therefore the constraints of the conventions of that genre need to be acknowledged, used or diverted from, so that while audience expectations are fulfilled at the same time you are offering up a film that will be remembered for its uniqueness, ‘creativity’. You could bring in Daniel Chandler, David Broadwell, and or Steve Neale at this point.

At this point I think it would be useful if you highlighted how you’ve been conventional in your use of micro elements and how together they create the required language of communicating that genre.


To be continued……

Question 1b Media Language

Useful links
http://www.kenstone.net/fcp_homepage/language_of_film.html

http://www.mediaknowall.com/as_alevel/alevel.php?pageID=filmlang

Question 1b Audience Theory Task

Having stretched your critical thinking to include Audience Reception Theory you now need to reflect on your learning and consider how what you have learnt can be linked to the planning of your short film script.

WARNING - This is going to take some time so make sure you put the effort in. It will not only make your film better but also help you with the exam later... I PROMISE.

Tasks -

1. Watch a minimum of 4 short films and analyse them for the following possible audience receptions.
• Preferred Reading / Dominant hegemonic position
• Negotiated  Reading / Negotiated hegemonic position
• Oppositional hegemonic position
• Aberrant decoding
• Moral Panic
• Mode of Address
• Profile the Target Audience (this will be linked into the success of the film so check out how it did at festivals etc, and what these festivals represent, are looking for).
• Consider the viewing environment
2. Combine your thoughts from the above analysis and your lesson notes to produce a written/blogged review of what you will need to consider in writing your own short film script.

"Wiring the Audience" - Essay by Julian McDougall (Exam board)

"Wiring the Audience" - Essay by Julian McDougall (Exam board)

Gauntlett on Audience Theory

Why are there no clear answers on media effects?

Gauntlett "10 things wrong with the 'effects model'" (1998)

1. The effects model tackles social problems 'backwards'
2. The effects model treats children as inadequate
3. Assumptions within the effects model are characterised by barely-concealed conservative ideology
4. The effects model inadequately defines its own objects of study
5. The effects model is often based on artificial elements and assumptions within studies
6. The effects model is often based on studies with misapplied methodology
7. The effects model is selective in its criticisms of media depictions of violence
8. The effects model assumes superiority to the masses
9. The effects model makes no attempt to understand meanings of the media
10. The effects model is not grounded in theory

Question 1b Audience Theory - Reading

Doodlebug

Here are 3 weblinks on the discussion of Audience Theory. You will need to read them carefully and make notes on your thoughts to be discussed in class. Your notes will be for revision purposes and so need to be put in your files for classes.

Media Know All Key Concepts on Audience
Philip J Hanes on The Advantages and Limitations of Focus on Audience in Media Studies
David Gauntlett

Question 1b Representation Theory Task



Gas Man

 Tasks

1. Summarise the key points of representation theory from your reading and lessons making sure you reference accurately.
2. Analyse the representation of people, places, objects, events, cultural identities etc. in three existing short films. You may use up to two that you have previously studied but the third must be a different short.
3. Comment on how your new understanding will influence you in the designs of your own short film.

Question 1b Representation Theory - Reading

Here are 2 weblinks on the discussion of Representation Theory. You will need to read them carefully and make notes on your thought of how you can apply representation theory to your opening sequence and future work. Your notes will be for revision purposes and so need to be put in your files for classes.


David-Chandler - Media Representation
Aber on Representation


Other theorists you should consider include:

• Saussure
• Altman
• Barthes & Levis-Strauss
• Culler
• Rodowick

Question 1b Narrative Theory Task

About A Girl





Task:

1. Summarise the key points of narrative theory from your reading and lessons making sure you reference accurately.
2. Reflect upon Narrative Theory through the analysis of three existing short films. Try and be clever in your selection of short film so that you have more to talk about. It might also be worth considering that your own film will be approximately 6 minutes so perhaps it would be best to watch films of under 10 minutes.
3. Comment on how your new understanding will influence you in the designs of your own short film.

Possible websites for short films:

• http://www.bbc.co.uk/filmnetwork/
• http://www.filmsshort.com/List-Of-Short-Films.html

There are lots of places you can look so get hunting.

Question 1b Narrative PowerPoint

Once again it is important to not only consider the theorist and their formalised models but how we as an audience have an affect on the narrative being conveyed.

It will be important for you to reflect upon this once you have written your scripts. I believe that naturally you will write with formalised models in mind as we have be conditioned since we were children to consider stories in this way.

Question 1b Narrative

Here are 3 weblinks on the discussion of Narrative Theory. You will need to read them carefully and make notes on your thought of how you can apply narrative theory to your opening sequence and future work. Your notes will be for revision purposes and so need to be put in your files for classes.

Media Know All Key Concept Narrative
Film Reference
Narrative-Theory-OCR-A2-G325
ESF Media - Scroll down

Question 1b Preparation Genre PowerPoint

Having read the genre theory links on the previous post/s you will hopefully be getting to understand that the term genre and its use when studying media texts is a "hot" topic. We need to challenge the status that this concept has been given. "How did the notion of category evolve or shift into genre? Whose interest do generic ideas serve?" (McDougall. J)

Task:

1. Summarise the key points of genre theory from your reading and lessons making sure you reference accurately.
2. Think about these questions in relation to your AS coursework opening sequence. Create a post on your blog reflecting on your thoughts, call it Post 4: Genre as a Media Concept.
3. Comment on how your new understanding will influence you in the designs of your own short film.

Question 1b Preparation Genre - Additional Reading

I am yet to find these articles on the Internet but they are worth a read. So get yourself down a library!!!!

Key idea: bricolage.

• Phillips, N., 'Genre' in Nelmes, J., (ed.), 1996, An Introduction to Film Studies, London: Routledge, p127-137

Key idea: Pros and cons of genre as a critical tool.        

• Raynor, P., Wall, P., and Kruger, S., 2001, Media Studies: The Essential Introduction, London: Routledge, 54-62  

Key idea: Standardization and pleasure

• Strinati, D., 1995, An Introduction to Theories of Popular Culture, London: Routledge, pages 77-78             

Key idea: Genre mutations

• Neale, S., and Turner, G., 'What is Genre?' in Greeber, G., (ed), 2001, The Television Genre Book, London: BFI, 1-7.    

Question 1b Preparation - Genre

We're now going to move onto Section B of the exam and important theories that you need to consider when constructing your own film.

Here are 3 weblinks on the discussion of Genre Theory. You will need to read them carefully and make notes on your thought of how you can apply genre theory to your opening sequence and future work. Your notes will be for revision purposes and so need to be put in your files for classes.

Robert Symth School
Daniel Chandler - this one is heavy, you might like to go through it with a friend to stay motivated but make sure you discuss your thoughts regularly.
Wikipedia - scroll down to "Current State of Genre Theory"

Question 1a Preparation Skills Table

Skills Table
As you are already aware Question 1a of your A2 exam is all about skills you have developed over the 2 years. Therefore it is appropriate that we review these skills now and consider which ones you might consider focusing a little more on in the next year.

* Take a look at the table below which details PLTS in more detail.

On top of the PLTS skills you have also gained many technical skills throughout the past year and you will need to recall these as well as the PLTS in the following task.

Task/s

1. In small groups, using sugar paper and a pen, produce a grid that follows the format below and complete the boxes noting which skills you have developed. You could use the key in the PLTS table so that you don't write too much.

2. As a group video the table explaining each box citing examples of your work to support your comments.
3. Produce a blog post 3.
4. Introduce the task that was set, to identify the skills that you already have under the exam topics and different types of skills.
5. Insert Video clip of table.
6. Add any further comments you think necessary that explains your current skills level to the examiner.
7. Detail 5 SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, time based) targets that you personally want to achieve in the next academic year.

Question 1a Preparation - Creativity

Task
Links:
Wikipedia on Creativity - Scroll down to Creative Process
What is Creativity? Northridge University
What is Creativity? By Linda Naiman
Pete's Blogspot Creativity: 325 Questions on Production work

• Introduce the idea of "creativity".
• Import your class work from our game of consequences and comment on how you think this is or isn't creative. (Game details on Pete's Blogspot)
• Import your video work (pen movie)on being creative and again comment on how you think this is or isn't creative.
• Independent Study - Choose a way you can be "creative" and import evidence of your work.
• Following all of the above and class discussions, define "creativity" in your own words referencing theorists where appropriate to support or juxtapose your thoughts.

Question 1 a Preparation - Skills Development PLTS

Tasks
Introduction: Describe why we need to define the term "skills".

1. Research definitions of the term "skills" linking found sights to your blog.
2. Summarise in your own words your understanding of the term and how it can be related to your media production/s of the future.
3. Write up your notes from the lesson introducing you to the categories involved in Personal Learning and Thinking Skills.
1. Independent Enquirer
2. Team Work
3. Creative Thinker
4. Reflective Learner
5. Self-Manager
6. Effective Participator

(In Elephant Town Chris The Rhino Spread Marmite on his Egg Plant)

2012 G325 Question 1b Past Exam Questions

Question 1(b) requires you to select one production and evaluate it in relation to a media concept. The list of concepts to which questions will relate is as follows:


• Genre
• Narrative
• Representation
• Audience
• Media language

In the examination, questions will be set using one of these concepts only.

Past Questions

Specimen: “Media texts rely on cultural experiences in order for audiences to easily make sense of narratives.” Explain how you used conventions and/or experimental narrative approaches in one of your production pieces. [25]

January 2010: Analyse media representation in one of your coursework productions. [25]

June 2010: Analyse one of your coursework productions in relation to genre. [25]

January 2011: Apply theories of narrative to one of your coursework productions [25]

June 2011:

More REALLY Useful stuff.

For 1a you might get digital technology so read up and watch on the following links:

David Gauntlett http://www.theory.org.uk/mediastudies2.htm

Youtube video's
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFIXcDyKUOk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWNXg7Vt-ig&feature=related


Potentially talk about him in reltion to collective identity
Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LtS24lqluq0&feature=related
Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q0pvPs4Ky2o&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNqgXbI1_o8&feature=related

Saturday Revision Essay outcome...

Analyses one of your production in relation to media language.




In order to answer this question I have selected to use my A2 short film “*********” which is about ……………………………….synopsis / outline to the plot.

Media language is the way that meaning is constructed using semiotics, the study of signs, to communicate a message to the audience. Media language can be interpreted through the use of visual, auditory and written codes which are obtained through the producers decisions in the technical elements of camera, mise-en-scene, editing and sound.

Michael Wohl, (The Language of Film 2008) explains the term as “If ‘language’ is defined as how we communicate, then it can be interpreted in many levels when it comes to the medium of film. We know that each language consists of learnt “words, phrases, grammar, punctuation, rules and common practices”. For us as film makers this must be interpreted in our use of conventions o that our audience can understand the product we are making and the messages involved.

To begin with let us look at mise-en-scene which is made up of a number of different elements, for example, lighting, costume, location, character movement, props etc. During the scene in which the father character smashes the make-up on the floor, the composition of the camera frame includes the schools girl’s bag in which you can clearly see a packet of pills. The director and I decided to make these props prominent as we wanted to communicate to our audience the dominant hegemonic reading of the girl committing suicide. However from a negotiated hegemonic position the audience might perceive the violence of the father (character movement) to connote the juxtaposed reading that he is responsible for the narrative closure of her death. This implementation of media language was intentional as conventionally with short film the narrative is often open to interpretation by the audience.

The decisions on the media language within camera, angles, shot sizes and movement played an important role in my film (Closer). It was important to portray messages to the audience through the use of signs depicted using props so that the audience was able to receive the preferred reading that the person he had killed was talking to him. We used close-ups, effects on lighting in editing and narrative flash backs, on the fridge and leaflets to heighten the audience’s awareness of the words being communicated. Our decisions on camera angle and shot size during the scene in which he is on the floor contemplating cutting his wrists while staring at a picture of him and the implied dead female character, signifies to the audience a potential closure to the narrative and Todorov’s “new equilibrium” through the attempt to represent the characters disorientation and emotion.



The sound design in our short film (Karma) played a key role in the connotation of the juxtaposition between the girls’ perspective on life and that of the outside world at the outset of our narrative. We used the binary opposites (Levis-Strauss) of different genres of music; non-diegetic sound track of classical with an eerie twist vs. the implied diegetic music of rock pop on her head-phones. During this opening sequence we also edited the soundtrack so that one genre was overlaid with the other to signify to the audience the represented confusion of her conflicting lives and setting up the narrative that she was a victim.

Our decision on having arguably a slow pace to our editing (Fleeting) represents our intentions to portray the match-on-action with the characters life-style and lack of movement for the bench. During the scenes in which he meets all of the other stereotypical characters Jonathon only moves from the bench to take a photograph of the prop left behind. In order to construct this pace we intentionally used slow fades to black and back up again with a slight gap in the timeline for the briefest of pauses so that the transitions between the days is signified but also to emphasise Jonathon’s emotional attachment to the bench.

Media language obviously relies on conventions set out by film practices already historically established, (e.g. continuity editing, match-on-action, parallel editing) as well as those implied by the medium (short film, use of stereotypes and exploration of character) and genre (social realism/drama) therefore in order for our production to be understood by the audience we have to conform to existing rules of communication. Throughout the production process we as producers have to be aware of the media language we are using and what it implies especially at the pre-production planning stage. Arguably our use of media language has been restricted largely to conventions as our brief was to make a short film in its entirety with marking criteria that insists on “editing so that the meaning is apparent to the viewer”, therefore a short film that was potentially “film art” perhaps studying the techniques of Edwin Porter (intercutting shots to create an emotional impact on the audience) would not have meet the criteria yet our experimentation and diversity in creatively using media language could have been explored further.

G325 More info.

More useful information i've found.

Examplar answers via this link,... look for G325 downloads. The second one got a better mark although Saturady revision group are confused why. It is also interesting to read the link to the examiners comments. Have a look around this site for anything else of interest because this to examplar answers don't have a Collective Identity response in Question 2.

http://ocrmediaconference2011.weebly.com/main-hall.html

Really useful website - Worth a read.

MedienABC


Introduction into Media Education

• Media Language, Student Examples
• Genre, Student Examples
• Narrative, Film Narrative,
• Representation, Student Examples
• Audience, Student Examples 

An essay on Media Language.

This link guides you to an essay written with the G325 exam in mind. I'm unable to tell you what it got. But it might help you construct your thoughts..

http://www.slideshare.net/gdsteacher/g325-a-analysis-of-media-language

G325 Question 2

Writing frame for G325 from Julian McDougall

G325 Sample Writing Frame (Collective ID)

Please note this is generic and is not a direct response to a specific exam question, so candidates will need to adapt this.

Start with quote, paraphrase, critique on identity, representation, media.

Identity is complex. The relationship between collective identity and media representation is not straightforward. In this answer I will discuss this complicated relationship in relation to (CANDIDATE'S FOCUS - ONE GROUP ACROSS MEDIA OR TWO GROUPS OR MORE, OR CONTRASTING EXAMPLES).

For each example / study, quote, paraphrase, critique is now applied to the material researched. One example from more than 5 years ago is included. Textual analysis is ALWAYS connected to theories of representation and / or identity. These theories can be from any time period but the majority of the examples used for discussion must be from within 5 years.

Next, connections are made between the examples / contrasts are discussed.

Finally, a conclusion is offered which goes back to the start - the complicated relationship between identity and media representation. A prediction for what the future will hold is included here.

To secure high marks, all of the above is accompanied by referencing (when an author is mentioned, their name and year of the book / article / web material is given in brackets after the FIRST mention).

G325 Question 1b

Question 1(b) requires you to select one production and evaluate it in relation to a media concept. The list of concepts to which questions will relate is as follows:

• Genre
• Narrative
• Representation
• Audience
• Media language

In the examination, questions will be set using one of these concepts only.

Past Questions

Specimen: “Media texts rely on cultural experiences in order for audiences to easily make sense of narratives.” Explain how you used conventions and/or experimental narrative approaches in one of your production pieces. [25]

January 2010: Analyse media representation in one of your coursework productions. [25]

June 2010: Analyse one of your coursework productions in relation to genre.
A2 exam question 1b

And a minimalist summary of what to cover...

para 1 Intro: which of your projects are you going to write about? briefly describe it

para 2: what are some of the key features of the concept you are being asked to apply? maybe outline two of the theories/ideas of particular writers briefly

para 3; start to apply the concept, making close reference to your production to show how the concept is evident in it

para 4: try to show ways in which ideas work in relation to your production and also ways in which those ideas might not apply/could be challenged

para 5; conclusion

Again remember you only have 30 minutes and that you really need to analyse the finished production, rather than tell the marker how you made it

G325 Question 1a

Critical Perspectives in the Media

Question 1(a) requires you to describe and evaluate your skills development over the course of their production work, from Foundation Portfolio to Advanced Portfolio. The focus of this evaluation must be on skills development, and the question will require you to adapt this to one or two specific production practices. The list of practices to which questions will relate is as follows:

• Digital Technology
• Creativity
• Research and planning
• Post-production
• Using conventions from real media texts

In the examination, questions will be posed using one or two of these categories. Where you have produced relevant work outside the context of their A Level media course, you are free to additionally refer to this experience.

Past Questions

Specimen: “Digital technology turns media consumers into media producers.” In your own experience, how has your creativity developed through using digital technology to complete your coursework productions? [25]

January 2010: Describe how you developed research and planning skills for media production and evaluate how these skills contributed to creative decision making. Refer to a range of examples in your answer to show how these skills developed over time. [25]

June 2010: Describe the ways in which your production work was informed by research into real media texts and how your ability to use such research for production developed over time. [25]

January 2011:

Candidates will need to refer to their work for the Foundation and Advanced Portfolio units.

• Explanation / analysis / argument (10 marks)
• Use of examples (10 marks)
• Use of terminology (5 marks)

The simplist way to structure your answer is shown on this link OCR GET AHEAD. HOWEVER it doesn't meet all of the criteria. See the comment!!

Audience Theory - Student PowerPoints

The following PowerPoints were produced by the students in group discussions about the set reading.