BBC News

What techniques are used to establish the texts genre?

Mainly due to the fact of the different types of codes and conventions that are used within the text are all used to establish the tests genre for instants the tone of voice from the voice over and news reporter are using clear formal language to allow the audience to know what exactly is going on. The use of real life situations that are being shown to engage the audience so that they know its news that they could rely on and be educated by and this could also link to blumer and katz theory as the news is educating the audiences. Also the sounds that are being used are non degetic loud sound at the beginning allowing the audience to recognise that the news is on and also what type of news it is so that they could immediately recognise this.

How are people represented in the extract?

The news presenters that are shown within this text are represented as formal news reporters, we could identify that by the type of smart clothes that they are wearing within the video and also the way that sound by the clear and formal uses of language that they use whilst talking. Also they are represented as having this serious tone throughout the clip shown, this is done so that the audience can be aware that these topics that they are bringing up are all serious so that the audience themselves would have a sort of moral panic towards the situation and would treat it as a serious topic.

How is this text typical of BBC output?               

The non diegetic piece of sound that they used at the beginning of the sequence initiated that it’s the BBC news theme tune so that the audience could immediately recognise who they are. This is typically done throughout every single time BBC is broadcasting.  Also the logo of the BBC news that is first shown allows the audience to be fimiliar with who they exactly are immediatly.

Who are the target audience and what uses and gratifications does the text offer?

Typically, news is not something that could be stereotyped to be watched by a certain group of audience, but in a way we could argue that the news tries to target the more mature and formal audiences, as it would relate to them by the way that they talk and dress and also the fact that it’s always news reporters that are older reporting. Were as you wouldn’t see a news report, reporting that a teenagers and talking however they would want.

Call of Duty

Media Forms: What codes and conventions does the trailer use to establish the text’s genre? The types of codes and conventions that are used throughout the trailer to establish the videos games genre are firstly the first 3 second shot that was shown within the trailer is the age rating that its only suitable for the mature groups of 17 and + also that adds that the game includes Blood and Gore, Drug Reference, Intense Violence and Strong Language this shows the age rating of who can play and what they should expect. And also throughout the trailer it shows only violence and bloody scenes in different settings to keep the audience interested. Also within this game the uses of sound are used to engage the audience as they use non diegetic music and also sounds coming from the video game, giving the audience that pumping excited feeling and also keeping them interested throughout. Also the fact that they make COD in a realistic way that makes the viewers feel as if it’s them actually playing from the shots shown keeps the audience engaged and makes them feel a part of it.

 Media Representations: How is war represented in the trailer? War is represented in a jokey way, which allows the audience to be pumped with adrenaline as in the trailer the world is shown and they try to make it realistic as possible. They make the audience feel as if they are under control of the situations placed in COD as war is being globalised within the trailer. They make out that killing, blood and violence are all just fun and games and not a serious thing. And also encourages the audience to even copy the acts of this as they would think it’s not a big deal as its being shown on here.

Media Institutions: In what ways is the trailer typical of the video game industry? This trailer is really typical within the video game industry, they include all the much needed bases of a video game, for instants all the codes and conventions such as the blood, violence, loud diegetic and non diegetic sounds, the settings and also the point of view shots also the company name and age ratings for the specific target group are all typical uses of a video game that help to keep it successful and allow it to be recognised immediately by the audience  

Media Audiences: Who does this text appeal to and what pleasures does it offer? This text targets the male audience typically than any other genre. The reason I personally believe this is because video games are more known to enjoy action video games more than the female audiences as males are stereotyped to enjoy action violence and shooting video games. Also the rating that is shown at the beginning of the video suggests that the game is for only the 17+ audiences, this age group is being targeted as teens are known to be attached to their video games especially violent games just like COD. As COD is a violent game it offers adrenaline rush to the younger audience by showing them blood and action throughout. Also COD is a way of that the young audience could make new friends and socialise together.

Exam Questions

            Music video

Media forms- What techniques does the extract use to establish the text’s genre and/or engage the audience?

This music video was cleverly used, as all the way through they only showed the face of the rappers face maximum of four times. This is cleverly done so that the audience can feel as if they are actually relating to the life of a rapper and that they can see life through is point of view. And actually also make them feel envious towards the rapper as they are watching the girl he is with, the money he’s got and limo he’s being brought in etc.

Also Throughout the clip they show a beautiful young ethnical women, they show this women throughout because they of the sexuality that was being shown of the women was cleverly used throughout as it would capture the male gaze and attract a wider range of male audience. 

Media Representations- How is gender/ethnicity/age/disability/sexuality/a place represented in the extract?

The ethnicities shown throughout the music video are represented as a materialistic black male and female. This is shown as firstly the female is shown in a limousine, carrying a big band Louis vittion handbag, and really in fashion through her sense of clothing. Secondly then the male is also shown as being materialistic within the sequence at 0:37 when showing all the money he had, then at 2:35 being stopped a numerous of times at the airport security and he kept taking off more and more valuables.

Also the way that females were represented throughout the extract was that females are dependent on males, for example as shown at 0:34 when the female was showing her purse and the rapper filled her purse up with money. And also another time at the end of the music video the female was seen as crying her eyes out when he had left her at the airport, seeming like she couldn’t go on without him.

Media Audiences - Who does this text/brand appeal to?

This music video appeals to both male and female audiences, but also on the other hand males could most likely relate to this more as this is the life of many males may envy or want to be like. And by this music video they could actually see love life of a male rapper that they may envy. The demographics that this would appeal to would be C1-E because this is the unemployed and working class group that would most likely been the groups to look up to this sort of lifestyle.

Kony 2012

What techniques does the text use to engage the audience?

Throughout the clip they use many different techniques to help engage the audience, one of the many techniques used is that the use of the male voice over. The voice over gives a feel to the clip to show seriousness and show that the situation is no joke, the male voice over also gives a dramatic feel about the situation, this leaves the audience wanting to know more.

Another point of the male voice over is that it’s an American voice that is used throughout the clip, this promotes the hegemonic values as it shows that the American role in dominate in the media as all are familiar with this accent and can have an understanding to this voice.

This makes the audience aware of the traumatic event that’s taking place in Uganda and showing his point of view to why we should help.

Also the male voice over constantly uses the words ‘we’ and asks us rhetorical questions, the uses of these wordings make us feel a part of the clip and get us feeling involved with the direct mode of addressing. They also do close up shots on the voice of gods family, they show his child when its first born and the mother, this is cleverly used so that we can feel a part of the family and feel make us have a sense of trust within the male voiceover as he is letting us in to his private life. And it also allows us to identify what type of man the person behind the voice over is and it shows that he is a genuine family man, this allows us to feel some sort of trust for him.

Kony 2012

 http://vimeo.com/37119711

What techniques does the ad use to persuade the audience to help fund this organisation?

The clip uses many different techniques to help persuade the audience to give money to the organisation. One of the many techniques used is that the use of the male voice over. The voice over gives a feel to the clip to show seriousness and show that the situation is no joke, the male voice over also gives a dramatic feel about the situation. This makes the audience aware of the traumatic event that’s taking place in Uganda and makes them want to help them by sending them money.

Also the uses of clips that were shown in the video were all persuasive clips such as showing dramatic footages of the children in Africa such crying, upset and asking for help, to make the audience have sympathy towards the children so that they could also send money

How is the Kony 2012 represented as?

Kony 2012 was represented as a serious topic that is trying to get the world to come together for us all to be aware and take part in the serious matter to stop a evil man, that was ruining the lives of young children in Uganda. No matter what race or ethnic you are, it should be stopped with the help of each other. The clip is shown as a documentary type awareness video that is shown in a positive way to educate the world, by showing the lives and struggles that the typical American would have to go through and kind of comparing it in a way to what the children of Uganda would have to go through.

how is Kony 2012 shown as being real ?

They use many different types of techniques to show that the clip of Kony 2012 is real, one of the types of techniques that is used is the types of sounds that they use. Throughout the clip they use diegetic sounds to give a dramatic and real sense of feeling. Also the type of camera lightings that they use are all natural lightings to make them feel as if that the type of lighting that they showing on the clip hasn’t been once edited.

Targets

Aspirational grade: B

Three targets I have made for myself to achieve

-          Improve on essay questions timing and skills – revise more practise questions at home by using the resources on the AQA website.

-          Learn theories and more media terminology – Use resources that are there to help me such as getting information out of books and using internet resources.

-          Put more effort within coursework/homework (also deadlines) – spend more time at home or at school on my work and be more organised.

Advert analysis

Codes & Conventions: What techniques does the ad use to persuade the audience to consume the Guardian?

The guardians use different types of techniques to persuade the audiences to consume the guardian. The guardian uses the story of the three little pigs to allow the audiences to be familiar what they are trying to represent. This allows the audience to feel a part of the advertisement and to immediately indentify the story that they are trying to create as outlined with the theory uses and gratification (Bulmer & Katz). Also another technique that is cleverly used was that within the advertisement was that after the headlines of the pigs on The Guardian was published, it showed that the audience were taking part in and had a say in the event that was taking place, via twitter, emailing etc. Also The Guardian showed both sides of the argument; this is a great way to persuade the audience to consume The Guardian as the audience can feel as if they could trust that they are getting all the information that they need and shown both sides to the story other than just one side like most newspapers do, and also that they are involved in incidents that take place within the society.

Representation: How is the news represented in the ad?

The news was represented as parody type news; they played on a childhood story that many of us in this generation are familiar with. They did this so that it allows the viewers at home to immediately connect with the news that they had represented. They showed the advertisement to have more than one side to the argument; so that it suggests that their news is reliable enough to show all points of views of both the news editors and the points of the audience.  

Media Institution: What issues of new technology does this ad raise and what does it tell us about the values of The Guardian?

The advertisement promotes The Guardian by using many different new technologies to show that their daily news can be found anywhere and can be linked to many different technologies such as Ipad, using internet to get access of their site, using the television and using phones to connect to their sources of new. This also shows us how quickly their news can get around and easily accessible that their organisation is.

Audience: On the basis of this ad, who does the Guardian brand appeal to?

On the basis of this advertisement The Guardian seems to appeal to the older teenagers and adults from ages 17+ as this advertisement takes a bit to understand and even in the advertisement they only show people around that age group.

Techniques to persuade the audience

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1YbOMDI59k

What techniques does this trailer use to persuade an audience to see the film?

The types of techniques that this trailer uses to persuade the audience to watch this movie is that they cleverly use dramatic music within the trailer to create suspense that draws their attention in. The type of sounds that is used is non- dietetic such as a loud ticking noise and scraping sound as if the time is ticking for something dramatic to happen, which leaves the audience patiently waiting.

Another type of technique that is used within the trailer to persuade the audience to watch the movie is that within the trailer the type of shots that were used within the trailer. These shots show many of the intense and interesting parts of the trailer and this is also done really fast, this is done so that the audience would stay interested throughout the trailer.

Websex

What is being done by the soundtrack/ voiceover/ dialogue?
What sound and visual techniques are used to convey meaning?
What are the denotative meanings and connotations?
What is the significance of the mise-en-scene?
What are the dominant images and iconography?

There’s a voice over being used in the documentary but its not the typical male voice of god but its of the girl that’s hosting the show. The type of music that is used in the background are modern day pop and dubstep these type of music’s are to convey a meaning of this documentary for teenagers and young adults. The dominant images and iconography are the young lady that is hosting on the show it allows the younger audiences to feel as if they could relate to her.

What assumptions about the audience are made?
How might the audience react to the text?
How does the text appeal to the audience?
How do you read and evaluate the text?
Who is the target audience?

The target audience are from ages 15-25 both male and female, this is because this age group can easily relate to this topic of sex and technology. The audiences may react in different ways as it may be a sensitive topic for some viewers, some may want to learn about the safety of websex and others may be offended at the fact that their age groups are being displayed as irresponsible people having websex.

Who is being represented?
What is being represented?
Why is the subject being represented in this way?
Are there any stereotypes?
Is the representation fair and accurate?

Teenagers are being represented and the topic that is being represented are teenagers using their everyday technology to a different use of other than socialising and re connecting with one and other but to have cyber relationships and having ‘casual’ websex with people across the world. There are some stereotypes that occur during the show and it makes it out as if all teenagers are unaware and unsafe of the cyber life that some teenagers may live. I think it may be fair to represent this topic in this way as is makes others more aware of what lies ahead in the modern day social networking sites

Technophobes

BBC Three is launching a new program called “Technophobes”, following the lives of five people who are afraid of technology.

a. AUDIENCE: The program would most likely appeal to the teenage age group category and mainly the older audiences that can relate to being afraid of technology themselves. The reason why I think that it may attract teenagers is because teenagers are used to everyday modern technology so this would come as a surprise to them and an interesting topic. As for gender and the socio-economic status,  this would appeal to all types of genders as this phobia may occur to anyone and would target middle class as this channel may appeal to them more.

b. INSTITUTION: As its on BBC Three, this channel airs after 19:00 and the programme Technophobes starts later it would mean that children would not watch it and it will a appeal to a certain target group. It would also tend to be an observational documentary type as it would be a programme based on observing the lives of these 5 people.

c. MEDIA FORMS: As it’s on BBC Three I am expecting to find that this programme is going to be a observational type documentary as this programme consists on observing the lives of 5 people. Also usually on BBC Three the programmes that they show would usually have a voice over or a host to direct the programme so I’m also expecting to see a expository like documentary.

d. REPRESENTATION: I’m expecting the type of opinions and positioning that BBC Three would show would be mainly negative ones as we are in 2012 and we use technology in our everyday lives, it would leave people to think that these 5 people are weird and living under a stone. 

f. REVIEW: Now that I’ve seen the first episode of technophobes, I’m actually really shocked and left gob smacked. When I first heard about people being afraid of technology I didn’t expect people my own age to be terrified of literally iPods and mp3’s! I still find this all a bit hard to believe, it won’t sink in.

Different types of documentary

Documentary is a broad category of non fictional motion pictures that primarily document most aspects of reality such as maintaining a historical event and reality interviews etc.

Expository documentaries

Expository documentaries speak directly to its viewer, usually in the form of an authoritative commentary voiceover or titles, proposing a strong argument and point of view. These films are rhetorical, and try to persuade the viewer. The commentary often sounds objective, the voice would usually be a white male middleclass narrator. Images are often not paramount; they exist to advance the argument for instants mainly to show the realness. The style firmly presses upon us to read the images in a certain fashion. Historical documentaries in this mode deliver an unproblematic and objective account and interpretation of past events.

Example: Chanel 4 documentary of Krays. Lords of the underworlds

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJH7gDuN2mI

Observational documentary

Observational documentaries attempt to simply observe lived life with a minimum of interference. The first observational docs date back to the 1960’s. Post-production editing using a notebook-style format is used to emphasise the main parts of the show and also makes it more interesting.  The films aimed for immediacy, intimacy, and revelation of individual human character in ordinary life situations. Example of observational documentaries are 16 and pregnant, jersey shore and teen cribs.

Example: Jersey shore

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1jvEkzWHQMk

Reflexive documentary

Reflexive documentaries the film maker acknowledges their presence in front of the camera and provides a narrative to the documentary. These types of documentary prompt us to question the authenticity of documentary. It is the most self-conscious of all the modes, and is highly doubtful of realism.

Example Louis Theroux : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Px2kTQKZaSU