Semiotics

For further reading about semiotics go to the following site.

Semiotics for Beginners
Newcastle university

HOME STUDY for Tuesday 6th October.

I know I gave you free choice of genre for the trailer you choose and I don't want to change that but I would like some of you to consider the following genres: horror (and its sub-genres: vampire, ghost, psycho, slasher, zombie), suspense, thriller. You might also consider comedy.

In your annotations try to figure out what conventions are being used in the trailer.

Useful sites for trailers are:

Apple trailers

Yahoo trailers

But you might also consider older trailers which have clearer conventions, and which may be easier to analyse.

Keep your presentation to no more than 10 slides please and post notes to the BLOG in advance of Tuesday's lesson. Please also ensure that you have emailed me you presentation by Monday evening.

This Friday we will be beginning to consider the MEST2 Brief - in other words the coursework side of your AS Media Studies course.

PLEASE COMMENT TO ACKNOWLEDGE YOU HAVE READ THIS.

For TUESDAY

BE PREPARED.

THE UNEXPECTED IS COMING.

ENSURE YOU HAVE COMPLETED YOUR FRONT PAGE ANALYSIS.

WATCH TV!!!!!!!!!!

THINK

CROWNGATE AND BEYOND week beginning 21st September

The point of today's exercise in research into 'Crowngate' was that you begun to familiarise yourself with the process of finding what you need to know on the internet, reading it and distilling it into a readable form which makes clear the most important areas to consider. It was also important that you engaged with the power and responsibility which the media has to influence our opinions. Think about the trail of events which led to this 'misrepresentation' of the Queen and the consequences. What were the reasons for the decision to edit the 'raw' footage in such a way as to change the narrative of the documentary? Why didn't the decision makers at the BBC when they realised there had been a misrepresentation seek to immediately change it? Who stood to gain? How? What does it say about our society that we are able to understand the issues, the processes and repercussions?

MIGRAIN

The second part of the lesson was about getting to grips with the process of analysis and understanding that part of you job both in the preparation and evaluation of your MEST2 coursework and in the MEST1 exam will be to use a set of 'tools' to deconstruct the media texts you are shown. These tools will need to become second nature and therefore the HOMESTUDY is an opportunity for you to practice.

Please begin this process with the Media Language.

This will include: descriptions of denotation, images, colours, fonts, size of text, layout etc.

Chart your way through representations, narrative, genre, institution, audience and finally ideology. The reason to save ideology till the end should become clearer as you work.

Don't forget to bring your FRONT COVER with you and / or scan it onto the BLOG and write your analysis there - please also email me with it.

The Crowngate Scandal

The Crowngate scandal was based on a misleading trailer for the fourth coming series 'A year with the queen'. On July the 11th the queen was shown in the trailer storming out of a photo shoot after photographer Annie Leibovitz suggested she remove her crown. The queen was presented apparently 'walking out in a huff'. The footage was misleadingly edited by RDF showing her walking out of the shoot when she was actually walking in, Peter Fincham who was the BBC1 controller aired this to an audience of journalists. Fincham and his head of press Jane Fletcher knew by 5pm on the day of the BBC1 press launch that the story was untrue. But they did not correct it until the following morning, allowing the media,including BBC News to run with the story. Hence they had not apologized since the following day on July 12. As a result Peter Fincham and Jane both resigned as well as the Head of RDF who was mainly responsible for the edit. The BBC and RDF were highly criticised by former BBC executive Will Wyatt.

Hawwa,Lul,Saaema.

 

Mini Practical

Well done today on your first mini practical for AS.

You presumably realise how vital the planning process is and that there are many factors involved in creating suspense. Please ensure that in your Homestudy you explore what you did in detail.

Here for those of you who didn't record it in class is what I would like you to do.

• To write an evaluation of the practical.
• Include in this: storyboard, analysis, www and ebi.
• Commentary on the most effective shots - why did they work?
• Create a new storyboard with notes for an improved sequence - developing theme of suspense.
• Research: ‘Crowngate’, what was it - use the internet to research and collate some information - identify the main issues and outcomes. Think about the roles of audience, institution and representations as well as Media languages in this media event.

Good luck and see you Tuesday.

Mr H.


As always, please comment to let me know that you have read this.

Plan for next two weeks

Please take note of the plan for the next two weeks of lessons.


There will be a more comprehensive term plan available soon which will involve a preliminary schedule for your practical productions as well as the MEST1 course breakdown.


On Friday as I said in class you will be engaged in a short practical exercise to be shot on video and edited in class. In addition I will be issuing you with the course handbook which cost about £3 to produce, so please look after it and take note that you will have to pay for any replacements.


Could I also recommend that you start keeping a file for Media as I will periodically issue you with hand-outs which it would be sensible to keep hold of for revision purposes. 


In preparation for Friday please watch some TV or films with the sound down and think about how (if at all) narrative is created.


Week beginning 14th September


Tues 1-4
Analyse institution with reference to The Simpsons
Crash course on image and meaning


Fri 5-6
Mini practical
Creating narrative: shoot and edit


Homestudy
Evaluation and analysis of practical
Explore importance of editing
Research 'Crowngate'
Answer questions


Week beginning 21st September


Tues 1-4

Crowngate analysis and debate

Institutions, audience and regulation.

Introduction to Teen reality shows

Fri 5-6

Explore teen audiences

T4, MTV, BBC Switch, on-line programming (Bebo), Youtube

Homestudy

Do own textual analysis of either web page or a magazine cover. Using the how to read an image sheet. 500 words
Present your schedule for teen channel

Prepare arguments for 'chat show' styled filmed debate

Research evidence

Please comment to ensure I know you have read this.

AS Media Studies

Thanks for all coming to the first lesson. I hope that it is just the beginning of your journey into the study of Media and your developing awareness of the importance of Media understanding to modern life.


Today we scratched the surface of the subject and introduced you to the main demands of the course. If you want to know more please feel free to check out the AQA website. Follow the link and have a surf around. Look at the specification in particular MEST 1 and MEST 2 which are the units you will be studying this year.


I also recommend you consider the following questions and do some of your own research around the subject before Tuesday.


Who broadcasts The Simpsons in the US and in the UK?
What do you know about the organisations or institutions who broadcast The Simpsons in terms of ideology?
What is the dominant ideology of The Simpsons? 


Please write your answers as notes or in continuous prose as you wish.


BLOGGING


For Homestudy this weekend I also asked you to keep a media log of what you consume, when and for how long: use of different platforms, time spent on leisure, time spent on study etc. Try to itemise.


Enjoy and see you Tuesday.
Any issues, please email me:
tholloway@brentford.hounslow.sch.uk

WELCOME TO AS MEDIA STUDIES

The purpose of this blog is to be a forum for research; a place to let others know about what you have discovered; a place for peer assessment of homestudy; an environment for online learning which can continue outside the classroom.

The first thing that you will have to do is register to receive this blog. To do this you will need to ensure that I have a current email address for you. This is compulsory as I will use this blog to post reviews of lessons, resources, links, students work and to mark some assignments I set you.

Once we are up and running this will also be a place which I would like you to invite parents and carers to visit to see how the course works. I want them to begin to understand what you are learning about in Media Studies, the academic demands and rigour of the course, the opportunities for creativity and relevance to our ever changing world.

I want this to be your course and for you to influence it through the way that you think, write and create.