Audience: Reception theory

Reception theory is an important media theory exploring how audiences respond to media texts.

Stuart Hall is a cultural theorist who looked at the relationship between the text and the audience. He suggested that meanings are fluid and open to interpretation depending on context and the consumer’s experiences as individuals as well as communities.

Hall states there are three readings to any media text:

Preferred reading

The meaning the producers intend to communicate. This builds on the idea that producers can position the audience in a certain way and influence their reading so they accept the intended message by using recognised codes and conventions (such as stereotypes).

Negotiated reading

Somewhere between the preferred and oppositional reading. The message is modified (partly accepted and partly rejected) depending on the individual experiences of the audience (e.g their age, gender or social class).

Oppositional reading

The oppositional reading goes against the meaning the producers are trying to create. The audience reject the intended message and construct an opposite reading instead. This can be due to their own social, political or moral beliefs and values. 

Reception theory: blog task

Create a new blogpost called 'Reception theory'.

1) What is the preferred reading of a media text?

2) What is the oppositional reading of a media text?

Re-watch the trailer for the film Harry Brown:

3) What do the producers of the trailer want the audience to think about the teenagers and young people in the film?

4) Why might some young people feel the way teenagers are presented in the trailer is unfair?

Extension task 1: McDonald's advert analysis

Look at this McDonald's advert:

5) Write an analysis of the McDonald's advert using preferred, negotiated and oppositional readings.

Extension task 2: 

Find your own advertisement and write a 150+ word analysis using preferred, negotiated and oppositional readings.

Extension task 3: 

Watch the rest of the Plan B TEDx lecture about his plan to help disadvantaged young people through film and music. Do you agree that he presents a positive view of young people?

Finish for homework if you don't complete this during this week's lessons - due date on Google Classroom.

Audience: Demographics & Psychographics

The first aspect of the Audience key concept we need to study is how media companies target and classify audiences.

In order to do this, we need to learn about audience demographics and psychographics. These are two crucial aspects of how audiences are classified and identified by media companies. 

Notes from today's lesson on Audience

Demographic classification:

• Age
• Gender
• Education
• Social class
• Race/ethnicity
• Job/profession/earnings
• Home (city/village/countryside)

Social class classification

Advertisers have traditionally classified people into the following groups:

• AB – Managerial and professional 
• C1 – Supervisory and clerical 
• C2 – Skilled manual 
• DE – Unskilled manual and unemployed

Audience profiles

Advertisers these days are interested in more than just a social class classification. Now they try to sell a brand or lifestyle.

So you also need to think about the kind of brands your audience will be interested in.

Armani and Porsche? Banana Republic and Apple? John Lewis and The Times? Nike and PlayStation? Peppa Pig and Haribo?

Psychographics

Media companies use audience profiling to create a more detailed picture of their audience. One method is called psychographics and involves looking at the audience's personality, interests and the brands and lifestyle they enjoy.

Demographics and psychographics blog tasks

1) Your own demographics and psychographics.

Write out the demographic and psychographic groups that YOU fit into:

Demographics

Age:

Gender:

Education:

Race/ethnicity: 

Where you live:

Psychographics

Which psychographic groups do you feel you fit into? Explain your answer - say why.

2) Demographics and psychographics for a media product

Choose a TV programme or videogame and write what demographic and psychographic groups might be interested in that product.

Extension task 

Read this BBC Bitesize page on Target Audience. Write down three things you have learned from reading this BBC revision guide.

Camerawork and editing - extension tasks

Well done to everyone who has already completed the tasks for camerawork and editing.

If you've finished the questions and extension tasks for the Doctor Who Vincent clip then have a look at the example below for an introduction to top-level media analysis:

Example analysis: The Night Manager (BBC, 2016)

Here's an example of how you write media analysis for camerawork and editing using this BBC drama clip from The Night Manager.

 

1) Three camera shots:

- The opening establishing shot clearly shows the characters getting off a boat and walking into the restaurant. This both sets the scene for the following action and also confirms the characters are very rich.

- The extreme close-up on the main character's eye at 0.52 successfully communicates the intensity of the scene and the mixture of fear and emotion he feels as he watches his son being kidnapped. This has the effect of causing the audience to sympathise with the main character and wonder what will happen to the boy after being taken.

- The over-the-shoulder shot at 1.13 shows the main character recognises the man who saved the boy and that the man with the face injuries is not who he says he is. Like many over-the-shoulder shots, it is also a medium close-up which allows the audience to see the confusion on the main character's face and the realisation that he has seen him before.

2) Camera angles:

- The power between the two key characters is shown using camera angles. The high angle shot at 1.21 looking down on the man who has been beaten up shows his powerlessness and that he will rely on others to make him better. He looks broken and defeated as the close-up shot from above shows him looking up at the main character. In contrast, the main character is shown in a low-angle close-up immediately afterwards (1.23) to show his power over the broken man. The camera is looking up at him from the perspective of the man on the floor. This introduces a clear power relationship between the two characters - emphasised by the dialogue at the end: "We're going to take care of you."

3) Analyse the camera movement:

The camera movement at the beginning of the scene is slow, steady and fits the relaxed atmosphere as they enter the restaurant. The smooth track or dolly shot as they walk to the table (0.14 - 0.17) makes the audience feel as if they are joining the party and included in the exclusive group in the island restaurant. This all changes in the scene where the kidnappers take the main character's son. The camera movement is suddenly handheld and edgy, signalling the tension and danger to the audience. This adds realism and suspense and contrasts strongly with the smooth camera movement of the opening to the scene. The camera continues to move (handheld) throughout this scene as the kidnapping develops - this keeps the audience on edge and creates the idea that danger or something terrible may be happening.

As the kidnappers try to escape, the camera pans loosely from left to right and back again (0.57) to create the effect of someone looking around to see where the next danger will appear from. Finally, when the kidnappers have gone and the boy is returned safely, the camerawork is still handheld but not as shaky as previously. This restores normality to the scene as the danger has passed.

4) Analyse the editing:

The pace of editing suddenly increases when the kidnappers burst into the restaurant (0.22) with a series of rapid cuts to communicate the drama and danger to the audience. There is then a close up of the boy's father juxtaposed with a shot of the main kidnapper holding the boy. This tells the audience these are the two critical characters for this scene and that they will decide what happens next.

Camerawork and editing: extension task

Choose a film or TV clip on YouTube and write an analysis of the camerawork and editing in the clip. Try and use more detail like the top-level example above.

Editing blog tasks

There are three key words we need to learn for editing.  

Transitions

Cut (Straight cut, jump cut, match cut): Shot changes from one to another – the most common cut.

Dissolve: Shot melts into another – often shows passing of time.

Fade: Shot fades away and another shot appears. Fades to black often signify endings (of the day, scene or film)

Pace

The speed at which the film cuts from one shot to the next makes a huge difference to the experience for the audience. Generally, slow cuts build tension while fast cuts suggest action and excitement.


Juxtaposition
The word juxtaposition literally means ‘the act of placing together side by side’. In editing, this is called Parallel Editing. 

In film, two shots may be placed together to create meaning for the audience. E.g. A shot of the hero may be followed by a shot of his love interest to link these in the audience’s mind.

Here's a great video introducing a range of cuts and transitions:

Editing: blog tasks

Create a blogpost called 'Editing analysis'.

We're going to re-use the clip from Doctor Who to write our editing analysis:

Blog tasks:

1) Watch the first minute of the clip. How many times does it cut? (This is when the shot changes - the first cut in the scene is after 9 seconds).

2) How does the pace (speed) of cuts change between 1 minute and 1.30?

3) Why is the scene emotional for the audience to watch?

Extension tasks

4) How is juxtaposition (two shots placed next to each other) used at 1.58 to create meaning for the audience? 

5) What do you think is the most important shot in this scene and why? 

Camerawork: blog tasks

There is a lot to learn for camerawork - we will be teaching this over a couple of lessons and will give you time to work on your blog in each of them. 

This task will also give us an opportunity to use everything we have learned about media language so far (denotation, connotation and mise-en-scene) to also help us to write media analysis.

Remember, writing analysis in Media means picking out the interesting or important aspects of something and then examining WHY or HOW they have been put together to create an effect on the audience. Key question: what meaning does this communicate to the audience?

Camera shots: notes

Learning to accurately identify different camera shots and the effect they have on an audience is a critical skill in Media Studies. 

Before long, you'll find yourself naturally identifying interesting examples of camera shots, movements or angles when you're watching movies, TV or YouTube. The key aspect is always to consider WHY the director has chosen to present the scene in that way - what are they trying to communicate to the audience?

Here's a great YouTuber for Film Studies - Darius Britt AKA D4Darius. Notice that he uses 'full shot' instead of long shot - but otherwise this is pretty much as we learn the shots in class:

 

Camera shots recap:

• Wide shot / establishing shot (WS/ES)
• Long shot (LS)
• Medium shot (MS)
• Medium close up (MCU)
• Over-the-shoulder shot (OTS)
• Close up (CU)
• Big close up / Extreme close up (BCU/XCU)

Camera angle:

• High angle: makes subject look small and weak.
• Low angle: makes subject look big and powerful.
• Unusual perspective: can be used to surprise the audience or show danger (e.g. looking down off a cliff)

This is an example of a brilliant Media book with all the shots drawn and labelled:

Camera movement: notes

Pan: horizontal turn left or right

Used to follow movement. A whip pan (very fast pan) can create a feeling of action or drama.

Track/Dolly: Camera moves on tracks/wheels

Tracks action smoothly – look for in chases or fast-moving sequences.

Handheld: camera held by hand, often shaky

Handheld camera can add urgency, realism, pace or unease to a scene.

Zoom: focal length of lens changed to make subject appear closer or further away

A zoom into a character’s face can show realisation or an emotional reaction.

Crane: Camera attached to crane – can pan, track or ‘swoop’ in or out as required

Crane shots are often high angle and show large, epic scenes of dramatic action.

Tilt: Camera tilts up or down from fixed point

The hero or villain can be made to look weak or powerful using a tilt (high/low angle).

Camerawork: blog tasks

We need to be able to recognise and analyse the camera shot, angle and movement when studying film or television. As ever with media, we need to be able to explain the effect this camerawork has on the audience.

Create a blogpost called 'Camerawork analysis'.

Watch this clip from Doctor Who and complete the tasks below:

Blog tasks:

1) Camera shots

Pick three camera shots from the scene and explain what type of shot it is and what meanings or effect they have on the audience.

2) Camera angle

Pick one camera angle that is used in the scene and explain the effect it has on the audience. 

3) Camera movement

Pick one aspect of camera movement in the clip. Identify the type of camera movement and write about why the director chose to use that camera movement in the scene and what effect it has on the audience.

Example from Mr Pall's class will appear here: 

Mise-en-scene

Mise-en-scene is a vital aspect of Media Language and builds nicely on our work on denotation and connotation.

Mise-en-scène is a French term meaning ‘Putting on Stage’. It refers to the Media language used by the producer in their media product to communicate with their audience so…everything we see on screen. We can remember what this includes using the acronym CLAMPS:

• Costume
• Lighting
• Actor placement and movement
• Make-up
• Props
• Setting

When we look at a clip, image or advert in Media Studies we need to be able to identify aspects of mise-en-scene and explain the effect it has on the audience.

This video explains the power of mise-en-scene in film analysis: 

Mise-en-scene: Blog task

Watch the opening of television drama ‘Stranger Things’, a science fiction story set in the 1980s when four friends get wrapped up in a dangerous alternate universe.



Create a new blogpost called 'Mise-en-scene: Stranger Things analysis'. 

1) Write about the use of COSTUME in this opening scene. What costume can you see the characters wearing and what does this tell the audience? 

2) Write about the use of LIGHTING in this opening scene. What is the lighting like and what effect does it have on the audience?

3) Write about the use of SETTING in this opening scene. What different settings are in this opening 8 minutes and what might these settings suggest to the audience about the show?    

Extension tasks

If you finish the three tasks above, write about the remaining aspects of mise-en-scene using CLAMPS to help you:

• Costume - done
• Lighting - done 
• Actor placement and movement
• Make-up
• Props
• Setting - done

Try and write extended paragraphs in as much detail as you can.

Finish this for homework: due date on Google Classroom.

Denotation and connotation

Understanding denotation and connotation is the starting point for all Media Studies analysis.

Remember the definitions:

Denotation: the literal meaning of something
E.g. A rose is a garden plant

Connotation: the suggestion behind this literal meaning (reading between the lines)
E.g .The rose suggests romance and love.

When writing media analysis, you need to consider the following questions:

Denotation: what do you see?

Connotation: what is suggested? What does it mean?

Analysis: what is the effect on the audience? How is this effect created?


Example: Skittles

Denotation: There is some text with colourful streams behind each letter set around a pack shot of the product itself. The background appears to be sky.

Connotation: The advert builds on the slogan for Skittles ‘Taste the rainbow’. The connotation of the colour suggests that Skittles are joyful, fun and will provide a positive experience for the audience. The colours are vibrant and the sky in the background creates connotations of flying – this suggests to the audience that this is an exciting product. 

Analysis: The advert helps the audience understand the product as the colours reflect the actual Skittles themselves. In addition, the text across the top of the advert (referring to a ‘punch in the mouth’) uses humour to connect with the audience and suggests the brand doesn’t take itself too seriously. This adds to the positive, happy brand values that are suggested by the construction of the advert.

Denotation & Connotation blog tasks: advert analysis

Create a new blogpost in your GCSE Media blog called 'Denotation and connotation'.

1) Write an analysis of the WaterAid advert above using denotation, connotation and analysis. What can you see? What are the deeper meanings in the advert? What does the advert communicate to the audience? How might an audience react after seeing the advert?

Extension 1: choose an advert to analyse

Now choose your own choice of advert from Google images. Save it to your documents, insert it into your blogpost and write an analysis using denotation and connotation, explaining what the advert is communicating to the audience.

Extension 2: Print advert research

Read this design blog on some of the best print adverts of all time. Choose one advert that you feel is particularly powerful in terms of its use of connotations and analyse why it is so successful

Finish this for homework if you don't complete it in the lesson - due date on Google Classroom.

Introduction to Photoshop: fruit bowls

The fruit bowl task is a wonderfully creative way to learn some key skills in Photoshop.

Once you have finished your fruit bowl, you need to post it to your blog. Create a blog post called 'Photoshop fruit bowl' and complete the following tasks:

1) Save your fruit bowl as a JPEG image in Photoshop - remember to save it in your own folder on the Media Shared drive. To save as a JPEG image, go to 'Save as' and then use the drop-down menu for 'File type' and choose JPEG.

2) Post your fruit bowl (or fruit bowls if you did more than one) to your blog by clicking the 'add image' icon and locating the correct JPEG image from your folder on Media Shared.

3) Write a short explanation of the colour palette you used and the effect you were trying to create when designing your fruit bowl.

Media Key Concepts: blog task

Everything we study in Media over the next three years will be based around the theoretical framework. This means four key concepts: Language, Industries, Audience and Representation.

If you missed any of the notes from the lesson this should help:

Language

• The Language of Media Studies
• How we ‘read’ media texts
• Recognising the codes and conventions of media texts
• Key media terms e.g. genre… denotation… connotation… narrative… 

Industries

• The companies, organisations or regulators behind the media
• Most aspects of the media are a commodity: something that is bought and sold. There is competition and a demand for profit.
• Huge institutions are called multinationals e.g. News International
• Smaller institutions can include media texts we create ourselves (blogs etc.)

Audience

• The people who consume media products
• How does the media influence its audience? Who holds the power?
• How is an audience targeted? What do the audience enjoy or learn from the media product?
• Audience research: who exactly is buying our product?

Representation

• The people who consume media products
• How does the media influence its audience? Who holds the power?
• How is an audience targeted? What do the audience enjoy or learn from the media product?
• Audience research: who exactly is buying our product?

Key Concepts homework blog task

Create a new blogpost called 'Key Concepts film poster analysis' and complete the following tasks:

Find a film poster of your choice (use Google images) and add it to your blog post. You'll need to save it to My Pictures or a similar folder and then import the image using the 'insert image' icon in Blogger. Now complete the following questions:

1) How can you tell this is a film poster? Identify at least one key convention or typical feature that tells you this is a film poster (e.g. title, tagline, age rating etc.)

2) What type of film is it? How can you tell? Try and write about specific things on the poster to explain your answer.

3) What audience do you think the film is aimed at? How can you tell? Explain why you think it is aimed at that particular audience and refer to things on the poster that provide evidence for this.

Extension task

Try writing a media analysis using the four key concepts of media - see the examples below. 

The key questions to ask:

Language: how do we know it is a film poster? What impact do the key conventions have on the audience?

Industries: who are the companies behind the film? Who directs or stars in the film? Who is making money from this media product?

Audience: who is the target audience for this film? How can we tell?

Representation: what representation of people or groups can we find in this poster? What does it tell the audience?

Example: Splice (2009)

Language

The title and tag-line, release date and billing block (information about the Director and the production company) all follow the expected codes and conventions of a film poster. The effect created here is…

Industries

The film was produced by Dark Castle (for Universal Entertainment) who are associated with horror… It was executively produced by Guillermo del Toro who is a well known director. It was commercially successful (being the highest grossing Canadian feature film in 2010)…

Audience

This looks like it would be targeted at an audience of mixed gender (although perhaps slightly more female?) An adult age range might apply due to the 15 certificate and the content which includes hybridity and genetic experimentation…

Representation

The focal picture shows a female in a dominant position with another female confronting her. There is a male in the background which is perhaps unusual, particularly in science fiction…

Example: The Meg (2018)

Language

The Meg film poster is immediately recognisable as a film poster because the actor names are placed across the poster along the bottom just above the film's title. The title 'The Meg' is the largest text on the poster which clearly communicates to the audience that this is the title. The title is in bright green which stands out against the murky blue background and the greenish blue colour scheme has connotations of the sea and the science fiction film genre. The central image is of one person above a shark which is in turn above a much bigger shark. The light in the top left of the image could suggest safety or life - emphasising the danger and death of the sharks below. This image suggests the film has elements of horror. 

Industries

The Meg is a Warner Brothers film starring Jason Statham and it made $530m at the worldwide box office against a production budget of $130m. The director was Jon Turteltaub.

Audience

The target audience for The Meg would likely be teenagers - perhaps from 13-37 years old. The film was rated 12A by the BBFC. The target gender for The Meg would be both males and females but perhaps slightly more males as it involves giant sharks. In terms of audience pleasures, someone might enjoy The Meg because the shark attacks will be dramatic and full of action and danger. The film will provide escapism and jump scares to make them forget about normal life. The audience will also want the main character to survive and will be scared when they are in danger.

Representation

There is only one person on the film poster which makes it difficult to analyse the representation. However, the main star is Jason Statham and the character on the poster appears to be male so this perhaps reinforces the stereotype that action heroes are male. The sharks are represented in a very stereotypical way as they are presented as dangerous, hungry beasts. This is emphasised by the size differences of the sharks and person.

Welcome to Media Studies!

Welcome to Foundation GCSE Media Studies - we have a brilliant three-year journey ahead of us and can't wait to get started! 

Over the next three years you will create some amazing production work, learn a huge amount about analysing the media and end up with a GCSE in Media Studies. All you need to do is work hard and be creative! 

Your first job is to start your GCSE Media blog and sign up to Google Classroom. 

You can find step-by-step text instructions to starting your blog here. 

Once you have your blog URL, email it to your teacher. The URL is the address on the browser that ends with .blogspot.co.uk or similar. For example:

Mr Pall's blog: http://mediamacguffingcse.blogspot.co.uk/ 

IMPORTANT: It is absolutely essential you remember your log-in details for this blog - it is your Media work book for next three years. Make sure you do the following:

1. If possible, add your mobile phone number so you can get a code by text if you forget your password
2. Email your log-in details to yourself using your SCHOOL email address
3. Write a reminder of your blog URL, log-in and password in your planner

First blog task

When you have set up your blog, it's time for your first blog post! Click on 'New Post' and put the title as 'First 5 questions'. You need to answer the following questions (detailed answers in full sentences please) as your first post:

1) Which bit of Media are you looking forward to most?

2) What knowledge and skills do you hope to learn in Media?

3) What grade are you realistically hoping to achieve in Media?

4) What was the last TV programme or film you watched?

5) What technology have you used to access the media in the last 24 hours? (Radio, TV, phone etc.)

Extension tasks!

Watch this clip from acclaimed BBC drama series Doctor Who:

What aspects of this scene do you think an audience might enjoy? List at least three things and explain why the audience would enjoy each aspect. 

Note: If the YouTube clip isn't working please let your Media teacher know. While you're waiting for the issue to be resolved, read up on this episode of Doctor Who on the brilliant IMDB website.

Finish these questions for homework if you don't manage to get through them in the lesson - due date on Google Classroom.

If you DO finish everything - well done! Spend some time looking through our Media blog, particularly at last year's Media student blogs. This will give you an idea of the fantastic work you will be producing over the next three years.