Year 11 Magazine Deadline Week

This is your last week of production on your magazine. You should have completed a draft, flat plan and final draft of the three elements:

• Front Page
• Contents Page
• Double Page Spread

Print out your final product ready for deadline on Friday 11th December

Update your production log and look at how your final product compares with your plans from the initial research and planning stages. Look back at your market research. Do you think that your product will satisfy your target audience?

Year 10 Homework: Research Task - Tomorrowland

Create a research document based on the film Tomorrowland.

Look at how it fits the codes and conventions of the action adventure genre.
Explore how the teenage girl is represented in the film, using the image below.



Deadline = Friday 11th December

Year 10 Action Adventure Genre

What are the codes and conventions of Action Adventure Film?

Narrative

• 12/15 certificate, maximising youth audiences
• Often hybridised with Sci Fi/Adventure/Romance
• Major Hollywood studio produced and distributed
• High production values including CGI FX. Fast paced editing
• Classic Hollywood 3 act narrative structure
• Predictable chain of events – cause and effect
• Single stranded, linear, closed narrative
• Dramatic non-diegetic sound
• Clear binary oppositions
• Star Marketing: Audience identification/expectations (Cruise/Pitt/Willis/Thurman/Jolie/Stallone/Craig/SchwarzeneggeDi Caprio…). 
• Generic Typecasting and Secondary Persona apply (stock characters)
• Romantic sub-plot, Humorous dialogue
• Relationships with new technology (youth audiences)
• Use of close up/Insert shots/High Key Lighting
• Dominant representation of gender: male/female action hero. 

Narrative led films with tightly woven story arcs, where the dialogue drives the plot rather than builds character.
An action adventure film is essentially one long quest with a succession of different chase sequences, each one more death defying and seemingly impossible than the one before. The trick for the producers is to ramp up the tension as the film progresses to a storming end sequence. Will our intrepid explorers make it, or will the evil antagonist get there first.
A strong story ark of a quest for treasure, or an incredibly valuable object, or an item which has occult power.
Love interest that both hinders and supports the main quest.
A fast moving narrative with constant set backs that are overcome one by one, leading to fairly complex plots.
In many respects this genre of films derive their energy from being more exciting, more adult and much more dangerous versions of children’s stories of adventure such as Enid Blighton’s Famous Five or Arthur Ransome’s Swallows and Amazons.
Thrilling action where the protagonist saves his fellow travellers through a variety of non realistic but apparently logical escapades.

Characters and locations

These are not realistic films, although the characters must be believable. They are set in a stereotypical world of the not too distant past e.g the 1930s, or the fictional world of storybook adventures e.g. The high seas of the 19th century.
A main protagonist who is a seen as a 'normal' person and who just happens to have amazing powers of endurance in the face of extreme danger, and is also very clever. Indiana Jones is an archaeology lecturer in an US university. Captain Jack Sparrow is at first an ordinary good for nothing pirate with incredible agility and luck, although he later takes on supernatural powers.
There are always helpers who are a team of innocent characters who happen to get caught up in the action.
Humorous dialogue often diffuses taught and sometimes frightening situations.
The characters take the twist and turns of the plot very seriously as they are often in mortal danger from an assortment of unusual animals, machines and monsters orchestrated by an evil antagonist.
Exotic locations where the characters have to contend with extremes of climate, as well as evil forces.
The aim is to please the audience by keeping them on the edge of their seats through a series of mind boggling chases, exotic locations and hair raising adventures in historically inaccurate but somehow elementally possible settings.
Action Adventure films are designed to create an action-filled, energetic experience for the audience who can live vicariously through the exotic locations, conquests, explorations, struggles and situations that confront the main characters

Task: Having read through this description of the action adventure genre, can you think about how this applies to the two films we have watched in class?

1. The Maze Runner
2. Kingsman

Explain your points, using the films as evidence to support your ideas.

Action Adventure Genre Conventions

Codes and Conventions of Action Adventure Films

Narrative

What makes all Action Adventure Films similar is that they use the same sort of narrative structure. The narrative structure is how a story is organised and shaped in terms of time and events. Think about the rules of narrative structure in Pirates of the Caribbean or Indiana Jones films.

• A defining feature of Action Adventure is the high degree of narrative closure, with all problems resolved and the hero triumphant.
• Linear structure from problem to crisis to resolution
• Oppositional structure as a fight between good and evil.

Task: Explain how one film of your choice follows this narrative structure.

Main Characters

Example of Captain Jack Sparrow (Main character from Pirates of the Caribbean)

Task: Find an image of a main character from an Action Adventure Film and copy it onto your page. Label the character with all of the rules of the hero.

Oppositional Characters

Action Adventure films tend to feature characters that play opposite the key central character, for example either in the form of a relationship (hero/heroine) or in conflict (hero/villain)
Task: Who is the oppositional character to your chosen main character? Add them to your notes.

Journey/Quest

Action Adventure films often involve central characters working towards a final goal (such as seeking treasure). These narratives take place against a backdrop of a variety of exotic and sometimes glamourous locations. These can range from desert landscapes to urban settings. Not only can their use provide the audience with visual pleasures, but the location itself can serve an important narrative function as central characters find themselves battling with the challenges presented by it. For example: surviving earthquakes, struggling through jungles or deserts or surviving in war zones.
Task: Find a variety of settings that are used in Action Adventure films and refer to these examples.

GCSE MEDIA: Moving Image Glossary

GCSE MEDIA: Moving Image Glossary

The Maze Runner: Film Analysis

Does the page work?

There are a few basics which you MUST try and stick to when  building your page, this goes for the cover, the contents or the double page spread.

Step 1

Pick a magazine cover.
Draw a diagonal line from the top left corner down to the bottom right corner.

Step 2

Now draw a diagonal line from the to right hand corner which will hit the other line at a RIGHT ANGLE. Repeat this process from the bottom left.

Step 3

Now you should have two hot spots. SOMETHING interesting should be happening at these spots.

Task: Do this for THREE magazine covers and write about the 'things' which appear in these hot spots.

Need to know more about hot spots? Read this...

Yr 11 cover analysis basics from Mr Smith

How teenagers are Represented in Action Adventure Film: The Maze Runner

In preparation for your film analysis essay, you need to find out about the film The Maze Runner. Use your knowledge about Media Theory to write about how the characters are being Represented to appeal to the film's Target Audience.

Task: 

1. Find images of the main characters in the film. Write about Representation by looking at:

• Clothing (costume)
• Pose or body language
• Facial expression
• Mise-en-scence (colours, lighting, props)

2. Find the Film Posters used to market the film. Deconstruct them - pick out the codes and conventions. How is Representation being used in the Key Image? Look at colour and font too; how are they used across all of the different posters to link them together as a marketing campaign?

3. Watch the Trailer. Try and look at what is included in terms of plot. Try to analyse the codes and conventions of moving image media products:

• lighting
• editing
• camera shots and movement
• sound
• mise-en-scene

Y11 Magazine Production Work to Do - November 9th - 13th

Contents Page

Planning your Contents Page (tips to consider)....

• The next element of your production needs to follow the same style as your planned Front Cover and Double Page Spread. Use the same fonts or colours to link the products together. 
• Look back at your research and see what conventions are used on the Contents Page and analyse why they work. Do you think they will work in your product?
• Focus carefully on getting the page numbers to make sense. Use a grid tool to help align your numbers on the page.
• Look at the results of your market research. How are you going to satisfy the interests of your target audience? Think carefully about the articles that will appear in your magazine.

Task:
1. Create a first draft Contents Page. Print a copy out.
2. Draw a flat plan. Make changes from your original to improve the layout.
3. Create your new and improved Contents Page.
DEADLINE: Friday13th November

Y10 Representation in Action Adventure Film

Analyse the images below:

• Taron Egerton and Colin Firth in Kingsman
• Dylan O'Brien & Kaya Scodelario in Maze Runner

Write about the representation of the celebrity. Include the following:

• facial expression
• styling e.g.: hair, make-up, clothes, costume, props
• background (the mise en scene). What does the background/ setting/ location they are in tell us about them

Do your work on a word doc. Print out and paste in your books. Colour images please.

Y10 Stereotypes Vocabulary

We have been working on Representation of Teenagers. In many of the presentations of reality you found, you have come across Stereotypes being used to represent groups of people or certain characters.

Task: Can you select one of the examples from your presentation and write about them in your book? Using the work you did with your group, you need to use one image of the character and explain how they are being represented by commenting on:

• facial expression
• styling e.g.: hair, make-up, clothes, costume, props
• background (the mise en scene). What does the background/ setting/ location they are in tell us about them

USEFUL VOCABULARY
Stereotype - a generalisation (often true but can contain falsehoods) e.g. Brits drink tea
Countertype - a challenge to a stereotype, presents an alternative view of a group e.g. women being practical and good at DIY or men being sensitive and understanding
Atypical - not representative of a type, group, or class
Quintessential - representing the most perfect or typical example of a quality or class. Often timeless e.g. Bowler hats and suits for upper class Brits
Zeitgeist - typical of the time, captures the dominant mood/fashion of a time. Only popular for a fleeting moment e.g. a particular fashion or musical movement

EXTENSION WORK
Everything we have done revolves around 'stereotypes'
1. Copy Tessa Perkins' views on stereotypes into you books
2. Include an example for each (I have done the first for you) as well as an example from TV, Film or Magazine

Stereotypes - Tessa Perkins

Rethinking Stereotypes - (Tessa Perkins)

1. Stereotypes are not always wrong - The English do drink tea
2. They are not always negative concepts
3. They are about groups with whom we have little or no social contact; by implication, therefore, they are not held about our own group(s)
4. They are not always about minority (or oppressed) groups
5. They can be simple or complicated
6. They are not rigid and can change
7. People often believe some parts of a stereotype but not always all

Y10 Representation Theory

It is not possible for the media to present the world as it really is because when the media constructs meanings about the world they change or mediate what is really there.

Richard Dyer is a British media theorist, who discussed a star's special place in the audiences' lives. He suggests that the star image is manufactured and artificial and that individual stars have their own unique selling point in order to grab and hold our attention - for example Justin Bieber's hair.

The paradox of the Star

Dyer goes on to say that a star must be represented as both ordinary and extraordinary at the same time, in order for the audience to buy into their celebrity status. They need to appear to be just like us (the audience/regular people), but also at the same time possess something we do not have and something that makes them special, different, extraordinary. This may mean that they are more talented, gifted, confident, passionate, artistic, sensitive, carefree or sexy, but they are also allowed to be rebellious, anti-social, or angry maybe. They are idealised versions of humanity or in other words idols.

He also thinks this paradox (a statement that contradicts itself) means that the star has to be present in our lives, in terms of in our social group chats, our style, our habits and our consumption habits. However, they are also absent; something we think of as out of reach, on a pedestal and not actually there.

Task:
1. Look at the images of the celebrities below and consider what they are using as their unique selling point.
a) Pharrell Williams and his wife Helen.
b) Miley Cyrus performing at the VMA Awards 2015

Write about the representation of the celebrity. Include the following:

• facial expression
• styling e.g.: hair, make-up, clothes, costume, props
• background (the mise en scene). What does the background/ setting/ location they are in tell us about them

2. Select four celebrities of your own choice and complete the same activity.

3. Complete work on word and glue into your book.

Year 10 Action Adventure Films

Using your knowledge about how teenagers are represented, we are looking at three specific film posters. These are all action adventure films.

Using the key images from the film posters, can you answer the questions below. You can deconstruct the posters to show the evidence you need to support your answers.

1. What are the conventions of Action Adventure Films?
2. How are teenagers Represented in Action Adventure films to appeal to a Target Audience?

Task: Using the three film posters from The Hunger Games, The Amazing Spiderman and Jurassic World:

1. Analyse how the films follow the conventions of the action adventure genre. 
2. Explore how the teenage characters are represented in the film. 
3. Discuss how you think that these films designed to appeal to the target audience.

Year 11 Planning Work To Do

Layout conventions in a flat plan drawing

Continue creating your initial planning ideas for your own magazine. Refer to yesterday's lesson post to help you remember the tasks you need to get completed by Friday 9th October. 

Magazine publishers spend time creating detailed layout plans to ensure their content is presented in the most effective way. You need to show how your ideas have developed, step-by-step, in your Media Portfolio. Remember SAVE EVERYTHING you are doing on these first drafts in your media folder.

Year 10: Magazine Task

1. Create your own magazine front cover, using Photoshop.
2. Analyse your own front cover, labelling the conventions. Use this list to help you name each convention. Say why you believe it appeals to your chosen target audience.
3. Choose a magazine cover. Recreate it, using your Photoshop skills. The layout has to be exactly the same as the original.
4. SAVE all your work carefully in your Media Studies folder ready for the next lesson.

Year 11 Planning: Create your first Magazine Front Cover

Create your initial ideas for your own magazine front cover.

You need to use your research to begin planning your first draft front cover of your own original magazine. Today, you need to focus on a name and what key image you need to suit your target audience. Think about the layout of your magazine, based on the magazine examples you have been deconstructing in your research work.

Task 1: Using Photoshop, recreate the magazine front cover you deconstructed in your research work. The layout must be exactly the same.

Task 2: Create your own magazine front cover, using a found image that would suit your Target Audience and magazine genre. Create an original name and then add some of the sell lines you intend to include to appeal to the interests of your readers.

Create your magazine draft using Photoshop. Remember to give each element a different layer, like you did when creating your film poster product.

Year 11 - What do my Readers Want in a Magazine? Creating a Questionnaire

Consider who is your Target Audience and how you are going to find out what they would like to read about in your magazine. To do this, you need to create a questionnaire using Survey Monkey. You will then have data to use when planning the content of your own magazine product.

Task: Go to the website www.surveymonkey.com Sign up and then create a list of 10 questions for your potential readers. Send an email to 20 of your friends asking them to complete the questionnaire.

Year 11 Target Audience Task

Go to the UK Tribes website.
Explore the website to help you research how to define Target Audience groups. Think about how this site may influence your own ideas about the Target Audience for your magazine product.

Task: Create a description of the Target Audience for your magazine product. Add this to your research powerpoint as a new slide. Can you include a description and images that would suit your target audience. You are trying to create a Target Audience Profile to show the kind of person who you imagine would buy your magazine.

CD Cover Task - Evaluation Questions

When you complete a piece of creative work you are required to evaluate it. The questions you need to answer for this task are simplified versions of the ones you will need to answer for your coursework. These are the things you need to evaluate and comment on.

• What is good about your work? (Consider image, layout, colour, font, design). 
• What needs improvement? (Consider image, layout, colour, font, design). 
• What will you do differently next time? 
• What have you learnt?

Magazine Research and Planning Task List

You need to complete the following (use Martha's work as a guide):

• general magazine x1
• specialist magazine x2
• genre conventions
• moodboard(s)
• magazine analysis (cover, contents, double page spread) x3
• colour palettes x6
• fonts (including descriptions) x8
• audience profile (male & female - as applicable)
• UK Tribes audience profile
• questionnaire and questionnaire feedback

GCSE MEDIA: Analyse a Magazine Examples

GCSE MEDIA: Analyse a Magazine: Analyse a cover, contents page and double page spread from an existing title within your genre.  Use the examples below to help with your ...

Magazine Research by Martha Causier

GCSE Media Studies Magazine Production from LouiseDownie

Magazine Glossary

Masthead – The name and logo of the magazine.

The Lead – the introductory paragraph of an article. Usually written in bold or capitals.

Body copy - refers to the text of your written articles, which should be produced as a printed presentation to accepted industry standards, e.g. correct use of language, font size, word limits etc. Usually written in columns.

Serif font – fonts like Times New Roman, or Baskerville Old Face, which have little bars (serifs) on the end of the letters.

Sans serif font – fonts like Impact, or Agency FB, which do not have little bars (serifs) on the end of the letters.

Drop Capitals – Really big letter, which start off an article.

Cross Head – Small sub-heading used to split up a large block of text.

White Space – white parts of a page other than text or pictures.

Mode Of Address – How the magazine talks to the audience.

Sell Lines – Text on the cover that helps to sell the magazine to the audience. Kerrang!’s sell line is “life is loud”.

Banners – text, which stands out because its on a coloured background.

House Style – a magazines distinctive design that distinguishes it from its competitors.

Borders – the gaps at the edges of the page.

Gutters – the gaps between the columns of text.

Leading - the space between lines of text.

Kerning - the space between letters.

Strap Lines – a smaller headline, printed above the main headline.

By-lines - name of the person who wrote the article. Picture Credits - where did the photos come from, or who took them.

Anchorage – The way in which text helps to pin down the meaning of a picture and visa versa.

Magazine - Research and Planning Task

Genre choices are:

• music 
• fashion
• sport

Today's work:

1. Decide on your genre
2. Research magazine titles within that genre. Make a list of existing titles. Remember, you can use some of the research you completed before the summer break. Simply add to this piece of work and present your ideas using your chosen software.
3. Collect images of as many different covers as you can. Group by title e.g. Vogue, Wonderland, iD (all fashion titles).
4. You may look at magazines across the international market, but be aware that they are not produced in the UK.

Unit B324: Production Portfolio in Media Studies

Unit B324: Production Portfolio in Media Studies

This is a controlled assessment unit, 25-30 hours, internally assessed and externally moderated.

120 marks, 30% of the total GCSE marks

Candidates can either work individually or in groups to produce a major practical production from

a selection of set briefs. 

Within this, each individual produces their own evidence of research and

planning alongside an individual evaluation of their finished product.

The Production Portfolio offers candidates the opportunity to demonstrate their skills in research, planning, production and evaluation and their understanding of the following media key concepts:

• audience
• institutions
• media language
• genre.

The brief:

An extract from a new magazine aimed at a specific audience, to include the front cover, contents page and a double-page spread article, using some original photography.

• If candidates are working in a group, each group member must produce at least one double-page spread article.

New Year 10 Summer Homework Booklet

GCSE Media Studies Summer Homework 2015

Y10 Magazines: A Research Task

In preparation for your next media production project, you need to know more about Magazine products that are on sale in the UK. You need to look at a range of titles, which are catering for different target audiences.

How are they designed to appeal to specific audiences?
Look at colour, font and layout design for clues about who the intended target audience is. What kind of image is chosen to appeal to the audience? Read the content page for clues about the kind of articles they include and think about why they may appeal to the target audience.

What subjects do the magazines cover?
Specialist magazines are specific to one subject, while general magazines may cover a range of different topics.

Task: Create a research portfolio outlining your findings. Present it using your preferred software.

Year 10 essay Deadline Lesson

Today is your final writing lesson.
Task: At the end of the lesson you will need to email your work to hand it in as a final draft. You MUST write the word count at the bottom of your essay. 

The essay is out of 60 marks and is so worth 15% of your final GCSE mark. It is worth working hard to make sure you have answered this well. To gain the marks, you need to show:

• detailed and thorough knowledge and understanding of the two Action Adventure films we watched in class
• thoughtful analysis of the two films and their message
• a good understanding of how the films represent social and cultural values - what do they say about family, friendship, loyalty, what being heroic means, what it is like to be a modern teenager or female stereotypes
• a good understanding of how the films follow the conventions of Action Adventure films - who is the protagonist, antagonist and sidekick, who is facing a challenge, what are the action and narrative sequences....
• accurate use of technical terms and medium-specific terminology
• a good understanding of the effects of techniques on the film and the audience
• a confident comparison of the two films
• appropriate use of some examples from the film to support the points made
• personal insight and engagement with the two films and their appeal

10Z Media Essay: Sound and Editing Terminology

To enable you to complete your essay to a high standard you should analyse the two clips below with the focus on sound and editing. This will ensure you have used the correct terminology and help some of you achieve an A*.

Apply the following terms (definitions can be found in the moving image glossary post below):

Editing

• Continuity editing
• non-continuity editing
• shot reverse shot
• cross cutting
• fast paced editing
• CGI

Sound

• diegetic sound
• non-diegetic sound
• synchronous sound

Exam Paper January 2013 (Hancock)

OCR Exam Paper (Jan 2013) Unit b322 01 Textual Analysis and Media Studies Topic Moving Image

Revise Audience Pleasures for Q4b

Mrs Downie GCSE Media: 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 k...

Mrs Downie GCSE Media: Audience Demographics

Remember to include these codes when answering question 4a. They will help you to be specific when discussing audience demographics.

Mrs Downie GCSE Media: Audience Demographics: When discussing audience demographics, you should be able to talk about occupation using this table above. Using this alongside, age and ...

Example Exam Answers: Q1

1. Explain two ways in which the narrative (characters and events) in the extract fits the action
adventure genre. Use examples from the extract. (10)

This question is the Action Adventure Genre question where you have to show that you understand the conventions of the genre. You need to identify the genre conventions and then use the clip as examples in your answer.This is the easier question and you must attempt it.

Extract from Candidate Script 1: This answer gained 8/10 marks.

The narrative in the extract fits the action adventure genre in various ways. There is a battle between the good and evil which is conventional of the genre, the protagonist (Nic) is shown as confident and able to fight because it’s almost like a one-man army. He is up against more ‘villains’ which makes him outnumbered as they have more weapons too, which again is conventional of action adventure, because it emphasizes his victory (or defeat) in the end.

Another way the extract fits the genre of action adventure is making Nic, the protagonist, independent and confident. The fact that the protagonist is chewing gum in the close-up at the beginning ‘shows’ his confident attitude as if he wasn’t expecting a difficult battle but has come prepared with weapons/objects and team.

COMMENTARY

The candidate doesn’t use the term ‘hero’, and the statement that ‘there is a protagonist’ does not count, in itself, as a generic convention. However, the heroic quality is clearly implied in the candidate’s description of the protagonist as ‘confident’ and like a ‘one man army’ so this answer does just enough to establish the heroic protagonist as a convention.

So the answer clearly states two conventions: a battle between good and evil and the outnumbered hero. The answer has already reached at least level three in the mark scheme by the end of the first page.

The fact the answer then uses some key terms – ‘conventional’ and ‘protagonist’ – raises the answer into level four, but there isn’t a confident, well-exemplified statement of conventions needed for the top of the band.

Example Exam Answers: Textual Analysis Q2

Question 2: Textual Analysis Answer.
This question is about film analysis and requires you to use media terminology to show how the director intends to share ideas with the viewer. You need to use the key words and find examples and show how they affect the audience.

Here is an example answer from a candidate. It gained full marks in the exam. 20/20

Soundtrack

The soundtrack is notably used to create effects for the audience which fit the genre. For example, the introduction of Nic Angel is combined with a majestic soundtrack which emulates the hero’s power and status. This is regularly used in the genre to emphasize the power of the protagonist to the audience. The soundtrack also crescendoes, which aims to create tension which will be subverted by the inevitable convergence of characters. Western sounds are also used to create the effect of hybridizing comedy with action as the audience recognizes the cliché. In addition, it also serves

to imply there is an upcoming fight scene where the characters will ‘draw’ weapons, reminiscent of Western films. The soundtrack also abruptly stops to mimic the surprise of the audience at Butterman helping Nic Angel.

Editing

Editing is also utilized in different manners to create effects which help to heighten the action. For example, editing is very slow-paced at first to create a tense atmosphere which again hints at an upcoming convergence. The editing then speeds up, and cross-cutting is used frequently to help to bring together the characters in an imminent fight-scene, and the fast editing builds-up to the action, heightening tension. The cross cuts then start to match the soundtrack to emphasize tension, and the cut pace is momentarily slowed down when Nic delivers the line ‘Morning’ before speeding up again. During the fight shot-reverse-shot editing is used to show the conflicting emotions of antagonist and protagonists, and discontinuous editing is used to mimic the chaos of the situation.

Mise-en-scène

Mise-en-scène is predominantly utilised at the start of the extract, with Nic on a horse to make him higher-up, to the effect of conveying his power and presence. In addition, Nic features a distinctive costume, to further isolate him from the antagonists and make him stand-out to the audience.

The conventional set-design of English suburbia creates the effect of comedy when the tranquility is displaced for action, as it is unexpected to the audience. The props also mainly consist of weapons, providing a catalyst for action, which also creates comedy by satirising the genre through having excessive amounts of weapons. Lighting is natural simply to create the effect of realism in the town.

Camerawork

Camera devices are extensively used to connote ideals and create effects. For example, a high-angle shot is used on the school children to show their obedience and Nic’s power over them. In addition, many mid-shots and close-up shots are utilised before the action to portray the characters’ fear. An establishing shot is also utilised near the start to depict the quiet suburbia, which is then displaced when the action begins. During the conflict, a handheld camera is employed when the glass window breaks to mimic the chaos and disorientation the fighting creates. In addition a focus pull is used to bring the armed old lady into focus, and similarly the camera zooms in to the sidekick near the

start, both the establish the character importance.

COMMENTARY

This is an example of an answer that easily achieves full marks by giving a number of examples that are accurately described and analysed in a sophisticated manner.

Marks awarded and rationale: 20 marks
The section on soundtrack gives four examples – the ‘majestic soundtrack’, how it ‘crescendoes’ (sic), the use of ‘Western’ music, and the rapid stop to the soundtrack – and gives a succinct analysis of the effect of each. Not all of these examples are as specific as one might like, but enough are, and the quality of the connotative analysis makes up for any lack of specificity.
The section on editing again has four well-made examples with analysis.
The section on mise-en-scène contains at least two sophisticated and well-argued examples – the horse and the excessive weaponry – among some more mundane ones.
The section on camerawork again gives two excellent examples of analysis – of the high angle and the hand held camera – plus a couple more.
Two examples plus connotative effect per bullet point establishes an answer in level 4. This reaches the top of band on two counts – the number of examples analysed and the sophistication of the analysis. Some answers would make it to the same mark on just one of those counts.
An answer does not need to be perfect to earn full marks. It just needs to be at the top end of the range of answers produced in exam conditions. This is so that the full range of marks is used, which serves to differentiate between candidates more accurately.

Examples of what to include.

Soundtrack
Reward ‘diagetic’/’diegetic’ as terminology, but the description of sound as diegetic or non-diegetic does not count as an example.
Accept:
• Heroic brass and choral (spaghetti western) music at the start of the extract
• Sound effects emphasising the whip pans
• Sound effect of horse’s hooves over the montage of the townspeople’s reactions
• Suspense music as Angel dismounts
• Sound effect of a bird flying as one is seen in the windscreen
• Exaggerated sound effects of clothes opening to reveal weaponry
• Exaggerated sound effects of echoing gunfire
• Computer game sound as fight starts
• Sound effect of the shop alarm as the kids rush in followed by a woman’s scream
• Sound effect of Angel being hit by a bullet
• Sound effect of collision and a bicycle bell as woman hits Danny’s car door
• Short silence – calm before the storm – as Danny gets out of car
• Sound effect as the thrown gun flies through the air
• 70s buddy cop music as Danny and Angel fight together
• Any other relevant example.

Editing
Only accept answers other than visual editing if there is an explicit link made to the editing process (so soundtrack elements, for
example, should only be rewarded if there is a clear explanation that they are post-production sound effects).
The term ‘jump cut’ should only be rewarded where there is a clear breach of continuity editing.
Accept:
• Use of body wipes (eg Angel on his horse – do accept ‘jump cut’ for this transition, but no other – and on the man looking
through the supermarket window)
• The montage of the townspeople’s reactions to Angel
• The increasing pace of editing of this montage as the tension increases
• The faster pace of editing as the fighting starts
• Use of slow motion (eg when Angel rises from crouching near the fountain)
• Shot-reverse shots during the gun fight
• Any other relevant example.

Mise-en-scène
This media language element can lead to very descriptive answers (eg ‘there is a man on a horse, he is in a town’) so reward
explanation of connotative effects.
Candidates might comment on:
• Angel’s ‘warrior’ costume and white horse
• The unusual location of a sunny English country town decorated with bunting, natural lighting emphasising this
• The kids dressed in identical school uniforms and ‘hoodies’
• The townspeople dressed in traditional clothing – tweed jacket, vicar’s dog collar, duffel jacket.

Camerawork
Accept:
• Slow tracking in to the faces of the townspeople (accept ‘zooming’ for this, but tracking is more accurate)
• High angle (eg of the kids on the wall)
• Low angle (eg of Angel on his horse)
• Over the shoulder shot (eg of Angel on his horse)
• Close up (eg of ‘Zitto Colour’ spray cans)
• Whip pans (eg between walkie talkies, from the shop window to Angel, as the kids enter the shop, the shoot out around the
pillars)
• Handheld camera (eg Angel at the fountain then looking up at the window)
• Focus pulls (eg from CU of end of gun barrel to Angel’s face, from Angel to the woman under the hanging basket)
• Tracking shots (eg of woman on bicycle, as Danny and Angel run down the road)
• Crash/whip zoom (eg to the woman under the hanging basket)
• Any other relevant example.

Q3 Example Exam Answer

3. Discuss the representations in the extract.
Refer to stereotypes in your answer.
Use examples from the extract.
You might consider the representation of:
• age
• gender
• race and nationality
• the English country town
• the police. [20]

Question 3: Representation Answer
This question focuses on Representation and how a character is constructed for the audience. Avoid just describing what the character looks like and consider what group of people the characters are presenting. You need to discuss stereotypes of key social groups in our society to fully gain the marks for Representation.

Extract from Candidate Script 1: This answer gained 20/20
Throughout the extract, characters are portrayed stereotypically and atypically to connote and celebrate different values and ideals. For instance, the representation of age is predominantly unconventional, as it doesn’t follow the stereotype of older people being weaker and calmer. This is shown through the elderly women with a machine gun, who is represented as a powerful, and a threat to Nic. Similarly, most of the adults fighting Nic are fairly old, and so their uncharacteristic representation of using extensive violence perhaps celebrates older people, but also creates humour
as there counter hegemonical role is unexpected. The only main stereotype of age is the hero being fairly young.
Gender is also mainly utilised counter-stereotypically, as the genre stereotype of women is to be weaker and less violent and less powerful than men, however, the female antagonists the same violence and power as the male ones, therefore celebrating and connoting gender equality. The fact that women are equal to men also make the hero’s role harder and so his success even more impressive. Again, the only stereotypical representation of gender lies in the hero – he is male, strong and dominant – which are dominant features.
Race and Nationality are not represented prominently – except for the fact that it is an all-white cast, and this representation is stereotypical to the setting of a rural English town. In addition the hero is English, which therefore is patriotic in celebrating England – the country in which the film was produced. The town is similarly stereotypical as it is quintessentially English – pubs, schools and bunting – and the stereotype of the ‘stiff upper lip’ is represented through the antagonists’ serious emotions and nuances such as the ‘one school child’ sign. Finally, the police are mainly represented counter-stereotypically – although Danny Butterman at first fits the lazy, sluggish stereotype – this is
subverted by the counter stereotype of him and Nic being powerful and successful in the conflict. This is suprising to the audience and hybridizes action with comedy. The sidekick is also stereotypically portrayed through his overweight build, making him more endearing and vulnerable for the audience. Similarly, the hero is stereotypically represented as powerful, male, calm and violent – thus fulfilling the expectations of the target audience.

COMMENTARY
This answer analyses the representation of age, gender, race and nationality, the country town and the Police. Any answer covering such a range of groups effectively will certainly reach level 4 in the mark scheme. This answer, however, uses the concepts of stereotyping and hegemony exceptionally fluently and is clearly aware of the deliberate use of a particular representational strategy
by the text. This means that the answer easily achieves full marks.
An answer does not need to be perfect to earn full marks. It just needs to be at the top end of the range of answers produced in exam conditions. This is so that the full range of marks is used, which serves to differentiate between candidates more accurately.

Q4: Example Exam Answers: Television Comedy

4. (a) Compare how and why two programmes were scheduled on different channels.
State the day, time and channel of each programme. [15]

This question is about Audience and Institution. You need to know about the different channels, the role of Public Service Broadcasters in contrast to Commercial broadcasters, scheduling for different demographics and mainstream verses niche audiences.

Extract from Candidate Script 2: This answer gained 10/15

‘Gavin & Stacey’ was first broadcast on a Sunday night at 9pm on BBC3 as it was believed by the producers that the target audience aged 16-34 would be at home at this time before school / college / work on a Monday morning. ‘Have I Got News For You’ was first broadcast on a Friday night at 10pm on BBC2 as it was believed the target audience would have finished a week at work and be looking to relax.

‘Gavin & Stacey’s’ and ‘Have I Got News For You’s’ target audience are contrasting as ‘Gavin and Stacey’s’ audience fall into the C, D and E category as they are more likely to empathise with the narrative of the sitcom while ‘Have I Got News for You’s audience falls into the A, B and C1 category as the audience are likely to be more educated and find comedy in the satire of the programme as they are more probable to keep up with current affairs.

Both programmes proved to be a success on their niche audience channels and were then switched to BBC1, a mass audience channel as it ranges over a wide demographic with programmes for all such as ‘Eastenders’ and ‘Countryfile’. Both programmes were aired after 9pm as part of ‘watershed’ conveying that they both contain adult humour for a specific audience.

COMMENTARY

Marks awarded and rationale: 10 marks

The script gives time, day and channel for both Gavin and Stacey and Have I Got News For You. This fits the level 2 descriptors.

Any plausible scheduling is rewarded, as examiners cannot be sure which scheduling decision the candidates have studied and with long running programmes there may have been many different forms of scheduling. Some accurate explanation of why the programmes were scheduled in this way – such as a discussion of the watershed – should raise it into level 3. The answer achieves

this with a discussion of why Sunday and Friday nights were chosen, their original scheduling on niche channels and a move to a mass channel, and a mention of the watershed.

However, the answer does not explain why BBC3 and BBC2 chose to schedule these programmes (the rather speculative discussion of audience demographics is not linked to channel) and is perfunctory on time and day, so it cannot reach level 4. Mid-level 3.

4. (b) Discuss in detail how one programme offers audience pleasures. Give examples from the
programme. [15]

This 4b question is about Audience Pleasures and what inspires audiences to watch TV Comedy. You need to focus on Miranda and Bad Education and use them to add examples. Remember this is also about textual analysis, so you must include examples. The examiners say this question is often rushed so make sure you have left enough time to answer it fully.

Extract from Candidate Script 1: Marks awarded and rationale: 10 marks

‘Benidorm’ is a sitcom which is a comedy which is set in the same location with the same characters. This allows the audience to build a relationship with each of the characters as they get to know them, plus the audience is also included in the storyline as they they get to see each episode unfold.

‘Benidorm’ offers us audience gratification because of the various stereotypes presented in the programme. One stereotype presented is the ‘chav’ stereotype, in which we see this in the Garvey family. This can be seen as they are a white British family on holiday in Spain with their own set of normal and values. We can also see the ‘chav’ stereotype come through in them due to the fact that their teenage daughter is pregnant, which is also another stereotype shown in the programme which is teenage pregnancies. This can be pleasurable to the audience as it enables the audience to

feel superior towards to the family allowing the audience to look down upon the characters.

Another stereotype presented is the “snob” stereotype in which we see two of the characters. We see this by the way they both look down upon the other characters, and how they make crude remarks about the IQ of the Garvey family. This can be seen in one episode in which Mrs Garvey was speaking to one of the snobby characters and the snobby character spoke to Mrs Garvey in a very patronising way, making Mrs Garvey look rather stupid. This offers the audience

gratification because of humorous it is to see certain characters being ridiculed. Plus, in some sense it establishes a relationship the snobby characters and the audience due to the audience being able to relate with the characters with them agreeing with.

COMMENTARY

This is a good example of an answer that fails to earn the textual analysis marks for the question as it fails to give detailed exemplification.

This answer shows understanding of audience pleasures by citing various pleasures, such as ‘building a relationship with the characters’, feeling superior to stereotyped characters, and humour. However, the answer suffers from the common fault of lacking detailed examples. This limits its mark to level 3 at best.

There is a reference to the nature of the family, but the section on stereotypes solely refers to characters and does not give examples of narrative events that express their characterisation. This reliance on characters is very typical of answers in this band. There is one more promising reference to one episode that featured a snobby incident, but this is too vague to count as detailed.

Compare how Teenagers are Represented in two Action Adventure Films: The Amazing Spiderman and The Hunger Games

As the final piece of work, you are expected to write an essay.
This essay is a mix of film analysis skills and knowledge about how audiences are sold these kinds of Action Adventure films.

Task: Using your notes about the clips we have analysed in class, and the research looking at the main teenage characters (how they are dressed and represented), you should be able to write about how Teenagers are represented in The Hunger Games and The Amazing Spiderman.

1. Find all of your research.

• Representation notes based on the two main characters
• Narrative that appeals to the target audience
• Film analysis notes based on the clips below

2. Look at the title and plan what you intend to write about (use the example structure to help you).

Clips to use for Film Analysis

Compare how teenagers are represented in Action Adventure films: Hunger Games and The Amazing Spiderman

Writing the Comparative Analysis Essay

Essay Writing Frame: Media GCSE

Compare how teenagers are represented in action/fantasy film.

800-1500 words

Introduction: Knowledge and understanding of the texts studied Name the two films Explain the conventions of the film genre (using media terminology) Explore how the two films meet these conventions

Analysis and Interpretation of the texts/ Representation Explain the film’s key message and structure Highlight its Unique Selling Point Identify the Target Audience and why the characters would appeal to that audience – comment on aspiration and representation

Representation of social and cultural message and values/ Media Language Highlight the social and cultural message behind the film Discuss why this message would impact on the Target Audience

Media Language/ Codes and Conventions Close film analysis of a key scene from the film Comment on the effect on camera shots/ camera movements/ sound/ mise en scene

Conclusion Comparison of how the characters are represented to link to essay title