Wednesday 17 December 2014

High School Spiderman





How is Peter Parker being Represented as a typical teenager in this clip? Focus on the elements of Mise en Scene such as:
  • Costume
  • Sound
  • Lighting
  • Editing
  • Props


Peter Parker: Representation of Teenagers in The Amazing Spiderman

Look at the image and think about how the two main characters are being Represented as teenagers here. Look at costume, setting, facial expressions and body language as well as the props they are holding or are surrounded by. What do these things tell you about the characters? Are they teenage stereotypes?

Task: Write about this image and other still images shots from the scenes in the film where Peter Parker is introduced as a teenager at high school. Include the shots you have chosen.

Wednesday 10 December 2014

Representation of Characters

You need to compare how the two characters from the films The Hunger Games and The Amazing Spiderman are represented.

Use the images below to look at how the two characters are presented to the audience. Think about their clothes, hairstyle, attitude and body language to give you a good idea of what the audience are supposed to learn about the characters. When the characters are first introduced, what kind of setting are they in? Look at the things in the scene around them?

To complete this task, you need to focus on Mise-en-scene:
  • Costume
  • Pose and facial expressions
  • Props
  • Lighting
  • Colour 


Tuesday 9 December 2014

Audience Demographics


When discussing audience demographics, you should be able to talk about occupation using this table above. Using this alongside, age and gender, you should be able to assess the audiences' lifestyle based on the type of occupation they have.

Research for 4(a) exam question




4. (a) Compare how and why two programmes were scheduled on different channels.



  1. State the day, time and channel of each programme.
  2. Who commissioned the programmes?
  3. Who produced them?
  4. What audience are they aimed at? Why?
  5. Why are they on at that time and on that channel? Link to 'type' of comedy and target audience.
  6. Are they on after the watershed? Why?
  7. Know the audience demographic
You must know:
  • day
  • time
  • channel

for both programmes (Miranda and Bad Education).

Extension work:

Research original scheduling (time of broadcast) for both programmes and any subsequent scheduling that may be different. This is particularly applicable to Miranda that moved from BBC2 to BBC1.
Make sure you account for the change of audience demographic with the change of channel (if applicable). What is it about Miranda that meant the audience changed (or that the BBC's view of the audience changed)?
Account for the reasons why the programmes were broadcast on their particular days. If this changed from series to series comment on this too.

Wednesday 26 November 2014

Year 10 Action Fantasy Film Genre

There are many types of film which follow certain conventions of their genre.
Horror is an example of a film genre. What conventions would you expect a horror film to follow?
Can you list as many film genres that you can think of.
Create a list of Action Fantasy Films and explain why you think they follow the genre conventions.
Find an image of the film poster and use it as evidence to show how it follows the conventions.

Year 10 Representation of Katniss

Look at how Katniss is presented in terms of:
Her character traits (personality) - include examples from the film
Relationships with other people, including her sister Prim, Rue, Hamish, Peeta and Gale.
How is she represented in different parts of the film. Look at:
District 12
The Reaping
The Arena
As Victor

Homework: This work needs to be emailed in by the deadline: Friday 28th November at 3.15pm.

Tuesday 18 November 2014

Why do audiences watch TV Comedy?


Audience Pleasures
  • Narrative pleasures such as those of narrative resolution- Each programme has an end to the story so you always know who it will end.
  • Character identification, snowballing narrative, suspense, comedy, and so on- Being able to relate to the characters because they are based on stereotypes in real life. 
  • Pleasures of recognition, familiarity and anticipation- Being able to see the types of characters clearly in each episode with similar scenarios and being able to sense what’s going to happen next.
  • Pleasures of difference-within-repetition- Noticing similar patterns and catch phrases from each character.
  • Performance unpredictability and spontaneity- Makes the audience more attracted to the episode because something out of the ordinary is happening, making it more entertaining.
  • Transgressive pleasures- Things to make the audience laugh as the characters often face silly situations.
  • Specific pleasures associated with performers or personalities - Recognising performers that audiences have seen perform before.



How do you explain what people enjoy about watching TV Comedy? Read the links to the theory behind audience gratification below before attempting the question.
Write your answer in your exercise book.

Explore why you think people watch TV Comedy, referring to Miranda and Bad Education as examples.


GCSE MEDIA: Stuart Hall’s ‘Audience Reception Theory’ 2

GCSE MEDIA: Stuart Hall’s ‘Audience Reception Theory’ 2

GCSE MEDIA: Stuart Hall’s ‘Audience Reception Theory’

GCSE MEDIA: Stuart Hall’s ‘Audience Reception Theory’: Hall argues that the media appear to reflect reality whilst in fact they construct it. He also addressed theoretically the issue of h...

GCSE MEDIA: Theory: Katz, Hartley and Maslow

GCSE MEDIA: Theory: Katz, Hartley and Maslow: Katz’ Uses & Gratifications theory Personal Identification – Where the audience can relate to a character or their situation Perso...

Tuesday 11 November 2014

Miranda Research




  1. What channel is Miranda initially broadcast on?
  2. What other comedies (sitcoms/scripted comedies) does this channel broadcast?
  3. What is the target audience for Miranda? Give three clear reasons for your this.
  4. Who are the cast?
  5. How do they appeal to the target audience?
  6. What shows have the main cast members appeared in before?
  7. What time is Miranda first broadcast?
  8. Why do you think it is broadcast at such a time?
  9. When is Miranda repeated?
  10. What channels is it repeated on?
  11. What is it about the setting of the show that appeals to the target audience?
  12. What has the critical reception been? Find some reviews of the show. Are they good, bad or mixed?
  13. In your opinion, in what ways is Miranda 'funny'.
  14. What pleasure does Miranda offer an audience? These might include such pleasures as:
  • narrative pleasures such as those of narrative resolution, 
  • character identification, snowballing narrative, suspense, comedy, and so on
  • pleasures of recognition, familiarity and anticipation
  • pleasures of difference-within-repetition
  • performance unpredictability and spontaneity
  • transgressive pleasures
  • specific pleasures associated with performers or personalities.

Tuesday 28 October 2014

Bad Education


Bad Education Website

Creativity: CD Cover Activity 2

The task: Make a CD Cover with no restrictions.



Choose your own image, title and artist.
OR
Make a cover for either an existing artist or a made up one.
OR
Make a CD cover for an existing CD-give it your own version.

Remember to use Photoshop and find a high-quality image to make your product look as good as possible. Think back to the CD Cover Evaluation you have written in your books. What did you learn from that first activity that you can use here?

Thursday 16 October 2014

Year 11 Work To Do


By the end of the lesson Friday 17 October period 4 you need to have completed the following:
  • Answered all the questions in the TV Comedy: Introduction post
  • Answered all the questions in the TV Comedy: Research post
Hand in your work in your exercise book by the end of the lesson.

HOMEWORK

Over the half term week, keep a diary of all the TV programmes you watch, the time they are on and the channels they are broadcast on.
If you only watch programmes on Netflix or Amazon Instant Video then still compile a list of shows watched, along with the times you viewed them.

Deadline: Tuesday 28th October


Wednesday 15 October 2014

Year 10 Creativity:CD Cover: Representation of Teenagers

Look at the activity below and create a CD cover that would appeal to a teenage audience, thinking about how teenagers should be represented. Avoid the stereotypes you found in your research.

GCSE MEDIA: Creativity:CD Cover Activity 1: THE ACTIVITY 1. Generate a name for your band by using WikiPedia's random page selector tool , and using the first article title on wh...


Once you have created your new CD Cover, you need to explain the changes you have made to your product to ensure it appeals to a younger teenage audience.

Use the Evaluation questions to help you write this on a Word document.

1. Why does your original CD Cover fail to appeal to a young teenage audience? Comment on Font, colour, image and name of the artist and album.

2. What changes have you made? Again, comment on font, colour, image and name of the artist and album.

3. How did you make these changes? Explain, step-by-step the changes you have made. This is called a Production Log.

4. Why do you think this will appeal to a teenage audience? Think about how teenagers are Represented and the conventions that are designed to attract the audience.

Tuesday 14 October 2014

TV Comedy Introduction: Institution Research


  1. List all the BBC channels.
  2. What is the target audience for each channel?
  3. How do they all differ?
  4. What type of programmes do they tend to show? List five of the most popular for each channel. Classify the programmes by genre.
  5. List all the ITV channels.
  6. What is the target audience for each channel?
  7. How do they all differ?
  8. What type of programmes do they tend to show? List five of the most popular for each channel. Classify the programmes by genre.
  9. List all the Channel 4 channels.
  10. What is the target audience for each channel?
  11. How do they all differ?
  12. What type of programmes do they tend to show? List five of the most popular for each channel. Classify the programmes by genre.

Monday 13 October 2014

GCSE MEDIA: TV Comedy: Introduction




  1. What is the BBC?
  2. Name as many BBC programmes as possible.
  3. Which ones do you watch?
  4. What times are they shown on TV?
  5. What is the Licence fee?
  6. How much does it cost?
  7. What is ITV?
  8. Name as many ITV programmes as possible.
  9. Which ones do you watch?
  10. What times are they shown on TV?
  11. What is the 'Watershed'?





Tuesday 7 October 2014

How are Teenagers Represented on TV?

"Hoodies, louts, scum"


This newspaper article looks at how teenagers are represented in a negative way in the media. TV dramas often depict teenagers as the same.

Research Task: Working in groups of four, create a powerpoint presentation about how teenagers are represented on television.
You can use your research work from last lesson to help you get started. Your presentation must include clips from TV dramas or soaps that illustrate society's usual stereotypical beliefs about young people. You may find it in the costumes, music, their behaviour, how the characters speak themselves or how other characters speak about them.






Friday 3 October 2014

How are teenagers Represented in the media?

Teenage Stereotypes

A stereotype is a thought that can be adopted about specific types of individuals or certain ways of doing things. These thoughts or beliefs may or may not accurately reflect reality.





Is it fair how teenagers are represented in the media?
Look for a variety of images representing the typical teenager. Is it easy to find positive images or are most of them negative? Why is this the case?


Research Task:
1. Collect a range of images on a powerpoint slide. - Print this out to stick into your book.
2. Find three news articles which involve teenagers.
3. Using these images and articles as your evidence. Write in your book about what you think are the key stereotypes that teenagers have to cope with? Do you think this is fair?




Extension Task:
Can you think of anywhere in the media where teenagers are presented in a positive light. Add this to your work to try and balance your argument about teenage stereotyping.

Monday 15 September 2014

Year 11 Evaluation of Magazine Production Project



You need to answer the following questions in as much detail as possible. This is a very important part of this project.

Answer each question in as much detail as possible. Add examples from all parts of your work.

1. How effective was your research into similar magazines and relevant target audiences.
2. What did you learn from your research into these two areas?
3. In what ways did this shape the creation of your magazine?
4. What creative decisions did you have to make at the different stages of your magazine production? 5. How did your magazine change as your work progressed?
6. How closely does your magazine follow the forms and conventions of existing magazines? Give examples of real magazines you reference.
7. How successful is your finished magazine? What are its strengths and weaknesses?

Complete all work in Word or Powerpoint and then upload to Scribd or Slideshare and embed in blog.

How do I get the marks?
Your research, planning and evaluation is marked together. To get the top marks you must show an excellent understanding of the ways in which media language and codes and conventions have been used to construct Representation

You also need to write an excellent evaluation, with a clear sense of reflection on the work. You must use media terminology that relates to magazines.

Wednesday 10 September 2014

Y10 Representation Mood Board

Year 10 Representation Mood Board


In this lesson we want you to create a mood board which represents YOU

The rules

A MINIMUM of 25 images MUST be included.
Categories to be included are
Food
Fashion
Music
Sport
Celebrities
Films
Games
Hobbies

You can include ANY other categories you feel are important.

EVERY choice must be explained in full and every image must be specific, for example you CANNOT post a picture of just a pizza, it has to be a certain brand and a certain flavour. Likewise just lipstick or general make up wont do, we want the specific brand.

YOU CANNOT put your name on your work, you will email it to me, your classmates will then have a test next lesson to see if they can identify which student belongs to which mood board.

Mood board courtesy of Michael Bastian (fashion designer)

Tuesday 9 September 2014

Magazine Target Audiences



Katy Perry appears on this Elle magazine front cover.
Can you label the conventions of magazines using media language?

  • Title
  • Main Image
  • Anchorage Text
  • Sell Lines
  • Date and Cover Price
  • Website address
  • Colour
  • Font
You need to analyse two magazines which are designed to appeal to contrasting Target Audiences. Write up your analysis using the media terms you have been introduced to in class.
  • Target Audience
  • Language - Codes and Conventions of magazines
  • Audience - Age, Gender, Occupation, Lifestyle
  • Appeal

Tuesday 2 September 2014

5x5 Instructions

  1. Choose five areas of the Media that you like.
  2. Within each area pick your five favourites. 
  3. Add a description/explanation/justification.
  4. Add images to illustrate.
  5. Post on your blog.

Tuesday 10 June 2014

Research and Design Example by Martha Causier




Draft Design Example by Hannah Franks

Hannah Franks' work is an example of a professional looking piece of work. This is her draft product. It is successful because she has used the conventions intelligently to suit her magazine genre and target audience perfectly.
This piece of work also highlights how important colour and font choice are in the design process. All three of these products link together as they are following an in-house style. In other words, it is easy to see how all the pages come from the same magazine. Well done Hannah!
Magazine Front Cover

Contents Page

Double Page Spread


Tuesday 20 May 2014

Planning and Design Task

Decide on a suitable title for your magazine. It needs to be one that is genre appropriate.

  • Pick the fonts you want to use in your magazine.
  • Choose a colour palette.
  • Decide who your cover star will be or decide what your cover image will be.
  • Plan the clothes, make up and mise en scene of your photos.
  • Take photos at home or prepare to take them in lessons.
  • Begin to draft your magazine cover and contents page. You can do this initially without images. Look at your research examples for help and idea with layouts.


  • DEADLINE: You have until June 6th to complete these tasks

    Wednesday 7 May 2014

    Your Reader Likes....

    Media Institutions use Market Research to guide them to make their magazine appeal to their Target Audience. Knowing what your readers like is key to being able to design a product that will attract customers and in turn generate profit.

    Market Research Task

    Who is your typical reader? Create a target audience profile page looking at all the demographics of a typical reader.
    Use Survey Monkey to help you construct a questionnaire. Invite people to answer your questionnaire and then analyse the data. Present your findings with a commentary showing what you have learnt about your target audience. Explain how this will impact on your planning decisions for your magazine project.



    Wednesday 9 April 2014

    YEAR 10 MEDIA: Audience Research-UK Tribes by Megan Kiely

    YEAR 10 MEDIA: Audience Research-UK Tribes by Megan Kiely: This is only an estimate of the type of audience my magazine would appeal to, it gives a good all round view of the type of people th...

    YEAR 10 MEDIA: Audience Profile by Megan Kiely

    YEAR 10 MEDIA: Audience Profile by Megan Kiely: I have decided that my magazine will be aimed at a male and female audience age 16-24, however i feel that each issue could differ more to ...

    Friday 28 March 2014

    Magazine Research Schedule


    Kerrang Contents Page follows certain design conventions to appeal to the heavy rock fan. Comment on the language, images, font and language used to appeal to the target audience.


    Task A
    1. Deconstruct a front cover. Label the conventions and explain how they are used to match the genre and suit the target audience.
    2. Deconstruct a double-page spread.
    3. Deconstruct a contents page.

    Task B
    Consider the colour palette being used by the magazine and comment on what impact this will have on the target audience. How will this change your design decision when creating your own magazine.


    Task C
    Consider the fonts being used. Comment on their design and how they reflect anything about the magazine’s style. Again, how will this change your design decisions.

    Tuesday 25 February 2014

    Evaluation Questions

    Your evaluation needs to be as detailed as possible and have no more than 14 slides.

    Write about the specific design choices you made.

    • Why did you use the colours you used?
    • Why did you place the text where it is? Discuss the title, credits, review information etc.
    • Why did you place the image where it is?
    What choices did you have with regard to the background?

    How can we (the audience) tell this poster is for a teen action/fantasy film?

    What are the strengths and weaknesses of your work?

    Tuesday 21 January 2014

    YEAR 10 MEDIA: The top 25 movie posters of all time (According to...

    YEAR 10 MEDIA: The top 25 movie posters of all time (According to...: Click on the image above to access 25 movie posters and graphic designer's views on them. Helpful for research and ideas.

    Year 10 Schedule



    Tuesday 21st
    Begin creating the photoshop version of your film poster

    Homework: Take photos for your poster or organise your props and bring them into college to take your photo tomorrow. Remember to think carefully about how you frame your image for effect.

    Wednesday 22nd
    Use photoshop to manipulate your image and begin creating your final poster.

    Thursday 23rd
    Continue completing your final poster.

    Friday 24th
    Finish your final film poster.

    Thursday 9 January 2014

    Ideas, ideas, ideas.

    Getting creative with production

    Design a film poster for an original film idea. Your film has to be an action/fantasy film to appeal to a teenage target audience.

    Poster conventions

    What do I need to include on my film poster?
    An eye-catching image or images – often related to characters and the stars in the film or the setting of the film
    The title of the film – carefully constructed in terms of font, colour, size and placement. The title has to suggest the film genre
    A tagline for the film – catchy slogan offering a clue to the genre and main content of the film
    The names of key people connected to the film
    Endorsements from other media productions
    Details of any nominations of awards
    The production blurb – information in tiny print that lists the production and distribution companies

    How-to-make-a-movie-poster