Easy shots that (almost) always work in a music video

Blade Runner (Scott, 1982) is pretty much my favourite film, and a film you absolutely must see straight away. It uses a recurring motif of an extreme close-up of various character's eyes. These shots have many symbolic connotations. For example, it communicates with the audience themes of humanity and identity. However, these shots also work because they look really, really cool. Despite all the film's incredible special effects, many agree that the standout shot is the repetition of the eye motif, which can be easily emulated with a tripod and a little patience! 

You have complete and total freedom in the music video project, which is daunting and a little scary. You can do absolutely anything you want, and you will doubtless have taken inspiration from other, professional music videos. 

But, some techniques that you've seen will be frankly very hard to emulate. This shouldn't stop you from making a colourful and psychedelic video like ASAP Rocky's L.S.D, but you must accept how long it's going to take tweaking colours and saturation and key framing...

But you don't NEED to do something crazy to get an A* for the music video project. 

Here are some examples of straightforward shots that (almost) ALWAYS look good in (almost) ANY music video!

• Extreme close up of lips lip syncing
• Extreme close up of an eye
• Sunlight playing through leaves
• Out of focus lights, snapping back in to focus
• Mid Shot of performer in eccentric makeup
• Performer performing in front of projector
• Performer in front of graffitied wall on a bright, sunny day
• Performer in pitch black room with single LED light on/under/above face
• A bee crawling in to a flower
• Flowers in general
• A establishing shot of a block of flats
• Bright, neon makeup
• Black, gothy makeup
• Weird, random mise en scene 

Shots that generally DON'T work well...

• Following the performer around a city
• Mid shot followed by mid shot followed by mid shot
• Wobbly shot of people walking down the street
• Gig footage
• Cluttered settings (eg a normal bedroom or classroom)

First year mock exam

• Name: end of year mock
• Total length: 80 minutes
• W/ Xtra time : 100 minutes

Collapsed timetable

You will have a different timetable, with three hour rather than two hour blocks. Check out your timetable (which has been emailed to you) to find out when your exam is

• P block: Monday 09:00 - 12:00
• T block: Monday 13:00 -16:00
• R block: Tuesday 13:00 - 16:00

There are three questions

1 - unseen question - textual analysis of a film poster - 40 minutes

Media language questions will ask you about how meaning is made. You will need to refer extensively to the toolkit for textual analysis (media language). Revising for this question is simple: simply look at as many film posters online as possible! Get familiar with their form and structure...

2 - Newspaper industry - industry question - Daily Mirror - 20 minutes

Industry questions are mainly about facts, figures, and the financial success of the product. Therefore, contextual knowledge is really important for industry questions. Therefore, you will NEED to know at least the following:

• What kind of newspaper is The Daily Mirror?
• What audience is is targeting?
• Who publishes it?
• What kind of company are they?
• Are they vertically or horizontally integrated?
• What is The Mirror's brand identity?
• Why is this stuff important?

3 - Advertising - audience - WaterAid - 20 minutes

There are only two types of audience question:

How does the producer use media language to target the audience?

or

How can audiences respond to this media product?

Of course, the wording can vary wildly, but this is audience in a nutshell. The most important theory to understand is Stuart Hall's reception theory, AKA the encoding/decoding model. Producers will encode (or 'put in') an ideology in to a media product using media language. But rather than just accepting this, the audience will decode (or 'take out') what they choose. They may agree, disagree, or partially agree with the messages and values of the media product.

So ask yourself the following:

• What is the preferred reading (intended message) of the WaterAid advert?
• Who is the target audience (be specific)?
• What does the producer want to happen?
• How do they use techniques like positioning to make this happen?

Structuring your answer

We'll go over paragraph structure a little during the 3 hour session. But basically, no matter what structure you want to use, it's fine. Just be consistent. Here's a few examples you may have used already, and ALL of them work for media:

• PEA
• PEE
• PEE
• PEEL
• PEETL...

Example questions

Every single last possible question can be found in the checklist section of the revision guide. If you're not familiar with this yet, it's time to get very familiar with it! You will find the revision guide under the key resources heading (and if you don't know where this is, please spend some time getting used to the blog). Luckily for you guys, you know what industries and types of questions are coming up, which means you can use the revision guide more efficiently. 

Under the key resources subheading, you will also find the past papers repository, which contains... every past paper for A-level media studies, both official, unofficial and most mocks too. Since the same kind of questions come up again and again, it is a very good idea to scan through, find the industries and topics which are being covered, and get prepared.

Hints and tips

• A mock is just a mock. It's not the end of the world if things go wrong. But if you don't try, you're wasting an excellent opportunity to work out how and where you should improve. Please don't waste your time. 
• I've given you the industries and general topics, though I haven't given you the questions, natch. This is more information than you'll get for the final exam. However, it means that I will be marking these to a slightly higher standard. I expect you to revise. You cannot wing this!
• Since you don't know the exact questions, you can't plan exactly what you're going to write. But you pretty much can. Make sure you know what theories you're including, make sure you watch and re-watch the WaterAid advert to familiarise yourself with editing and mise-en-scene, make sure you know everything there is to know about the Daily Mirror
• Make sure to do a plan, and to write your plan on your question paper. You wouldn't believe how many marks I can give to a good plan!
• The only way to absolutely fail the exam is by not using media language. Yet it's surprising how many students don't use enough. Go to the textual analysis toolkit, and make sure you're confident with EVERY term on the list!
• There's no specific representation question. But don't worry: you can and should use representational theories to answer an audience question, say. 

Humans and postmodernism

To what extent can the set episodes of Humans and Les Revenants be seen as postmodern?

Postmodernism- Baudrillard

-Modern society has replaced all reality and meaning with symbols and signs.

-Human experiences our a simulation of reality rather than reality itself.

-Contemporary media is responsible for blurring the line between important and things that have been commercialised to be important.

Postmodernism and breaking the rules

Several aspects the make a text post-modern can be characterised by breaking the rules and conventions media texts. 

Metanarratives: Post modern text usually try to distance themselves from traditional ways of meaning and will break the rules of metanarratives to be so. E.g. Religion and science.

Rejection of high culture: Often uses a deliberate trashy aesthetic.

Breaking rules: Often breaks fundamental rules of making media.

Intertextuality: Makes reference to other media types, banding some together and manipulating the meaning of others.

Style over substance: Surface meaning is more important than the deeper meaning.

Postmodernism

-We are constantly in a media saturated world.

-The distinction between reality and media becomes blurred.

-Media reality is the new reality.

Hyper-reality - Baudrillard

-Semiotics, that signs represent, ideas, people and places.

-There is no longer an 'original' thing for a sign to represent, the sign is the meaning.

-Simulations of reality have replaced 'pure' reality.

-'Pure' reality is then replaced by the hyper real, where the boundary between real and imaginary is eroded.

TO WHAT EXTENT CAN THE SET EPISODES OF HUMANS AND LES REVENANTS BE SEEN AS POSTMODERN?

Knee Jerk reaction: Yes, to an extent.- both Humans and Les Revenants. Both deliberately break rules, challenge audience and make us question reality. 

(PLAN)

Opening scene:

-House is slightly messy- "if you don't clean up some of those, i'm going to throw them on the bonfire."- stereotypical dad, house is hegemonically normal, relatable. Stereotypical white middle class household. Create a strong binary opposition with house;s state before and after Anita- emphasises her hyper-reality.

-Cut scene showing mise-en-scene of house, warm tones to women wrapped in bag, cool tones-  paradigms of sci-fi culture. Jump between genre's is a confusing mode of address which in postmodern.

-Using shopping centre as a stereotypically consumerist setting, normal and relatable. He is asked to sign a contract before purchase- alluding he is making an expensive purchase. This scene positions us in an exciting mode of address, Anita is almost represented as a new car.

-Sophie asking "What if shes not pretty?" Sophie is objectifying Anita, seeing her as a doll. 

-Revealed to the audience through a montage of close up shots which builds up expectations for the audience. Sophie's question is a hermeneutic code- the audience want to know if shes pretty too. We are no longer objectifying her but sexualizing her- example of male gaze. She is hegemonically beautiful- symmetrical face, no blemishes e.g. Sophie is mouth open in delight. Joe is anxious, looking her up and down (sexualization).

-Anita is East-Asian. Anita is so perfect its almost disturbing- she is out of place. 

-Close up shots of Anita and Joe holding hands- romantic connotation.

-"That means she's ours!" Allegory of slavery. 

-Joe handed 18+ leaflet. Anita is both a slave in the Hawkins household but a sex slave.

-The character of Anita and a hyper-real representation deliberately challenges the audience to consider the nature of humanity. What makes a human human ?

-Humans is deeply complex and controversial TV show which appeals to a niche audience. 

Cheers Tabby for these excellent, excellent notes!

Music video project 2021: dates, rules and tips

 The music video project is an excellent opportunity to demonstrate your own creativity. You have absolute freedom and very few limitations, and this can be daunting and even pretty scary to students just starting out!

Look at the dates, and make sure you know exactly what you're doing week by week

Click to see in full resolution

Filming rules

1) If you are filming during an A-level media lesson plan, you may film instead of attending the lesson in person

2) Rule one ONLY applies to A-level media studies and no other subject you take. Please don’t even ask!

3) If you are filming during an A-level media lesson, you MUST send a reasonably DETAILED (who what where why when) email to your teacher describing what you are doing

4) You can also send a PICTURE, for example a PICTURE OF YOUR SETTING AND EQUIPMENT

5) All emails must be sent AROUND THE TIME OF THE LESSON, i.e NOT the night before and NOT three hours later

6) If you are NOT filming in lesson time, you MUST attend the lesson, even if you are filming later on that day

The sooner you start filming, the better your music video will be, and the higher your grade will be

Things will go wrong, especially as you get used to filming. You might have a camera malfunction, you might get rained off, or you might get stood up by someone who you thought was reliable... Start early,and you'll still have time left to sort things out!

You need to book out cameras in advance

You can click here to access the online booking form, or you can find the same link on the top right of the blog (under 'key resources'). Remember to book equipment as far ahead as possible, and to return a permission form if you wish to take equipment off site

Make a shot list before you go out filming

A shot list is like a shopping list. If you don't make one, it means you'll forget to record certain shots, which will be a MASSIVE pain in the neck later. 

If in doubt, use auto mode

There's a toggle on the side of the lens that reads MF or AF. Pick (A)uto (F)ocus if you don't know what you're doing, and probably if you think you know what you're doing. Having shots in focus is MUCH more important that film quality. If you shoot in super high def 8K and it's out of focus, it will look WORSE than an ancient 80's camcorder shot IN focus. Trust me!

Use manual focus

Completely ignore the last point. Use Manual focus (MF) and use the focus ring to focus, as the auto focus on our Cannons can be a bit dodgy. It's super easy and forces you to pay attention to the next point:

Check your focus every time you make a shot

Having every shot in focus is so very very very important! So even though you picked AF, make sure that each shot is as clean and sharp as possible!

Lighting, lighting, lighting

...

Never, ever move the camera

...

Go OTT with MES

...

Shoot everything ten times

...

Be clear what your master shot is  

...

Humans textual analysis - deconstructing 'the breakfast scene'

Deconstruction: to use media language to break a media product down to it's basic meanings

Question one - to what extent is Humans typical of it's genre?

Knee jerk: the breakfast scene is highly atypical of the sci-fi genre, and has more in common with drama and even comedy! This helps Humans to target a wider audience

Question two - to what extent does Humans use representations to make comments on society?

The breakfast scene - deep textual analysis

• Ensemble cast of radically different characters allows the show to appeal to a wide range of different audiences, thus maximising profit
• American British Co-production, which explains why the show is set in and around 'London', as this is an expectation of a British TV show
• Paul Gilroy is useful here. Hierarchies of culture. Anita is represented as a slave as opposed to a worker or a maid. Her costume is completely different to the Hawkins family, a bland, blue and totally practical affair. She is ethically east Asian while the Hawkins family are white, a clear allegory of slavery. Anita is represented an an other, completely different from the Hawkins family. 
• The Hawkins family are a stereotypical, hegemonic white middle class family
• Matty - Stereotypical teenage girl: moody, sweary, aggressive, grumpy. 'Tomboy'.
• Toby - Stereotypical teenage boy: sexually motivated, awkward
• Joe - Stereotypical dad. Terrible jokes
• Laura - Stressed out,. highly strung, stereotypical mother
• Setting of a dining room is a highly stereotypical middle class setting
• Use of natural colours connotes everyday life, and a sophisticated home life
• The luxurious and wide spread of food indicates the Hawkins family are financially well off
• MES of artwork on walls connotes both wealth and sophistication 
• Nuclear family, with a mother, father and three children, a hegemonically 'perfect' family. This is a stark binary opposition to the character of Anita, who absolutely cannot have children 
• However, Anita desires nothing more than having a mother daughter relationship, especially with Sophie, and yet is forced to play the role of a 'mother' without any of the positive elements
• Anita must take on telescopically 'maternal' tasks, such as cleaning, cooking, serving food. Anita is 'hyperreal', and is beyond perfection, so much so that she annoys and aggravates the mother 
• Anita offers the Hawkins family a hyperreal version of life, a perfect world which would not normally be practicable or possible on a day to day basis. But ultimately, this is mundane...
• Star appeal of Gemma Chan and Katherine Parkinson reinforces the widespread appeal of the show to complete;y different audiences

Representations of gender in the TV industry

To what extent do representations of gender reflect the socioeconomic context of the TV shows you have studied? Make reference to Humans and Les Revenants 

Knee Jerk reaction

The representations of gender in both Les Revenants and Humans strongly reflect the times in which we live in, to allow the audience to identify with themes and characters

Plan

Modern slavery

Gilroy - representation of ethnic minorities: hierarchies 

Baudrillard  - 'what is reality and what is simulation?' - Anita is a hyperrreal representation of a woman

Judith Butler - Performativity of Anita!

Lizbet Van Zoonen - male gaze - les revenants subverts? Julie's jumper??? Humans supports!!!

Anita/Laura binary opposition

Breakfast plan

Brothel scene MES of lingerie and lighting

Pub scene

The sex scene 

Lighting (red)

Costume (stereotypical)

Close up (Anita's hypperreal face)

Objectification

Setting (modern day London)

Allegory

Narrative: Todorov: disruption of equilibrium

Content - Lena walks Simon back from the pub

• By walking Simon home, Lena is challenging both gender stereotypes as well as hegemonic patriarchal values
• Low key lighting is symbolic of a mysterious atmosphere
• Subway, concrete, night, deserted, all functions as a proairetic code for imminent danger, yet Lena confidently gets out of this situation, subverting the stereotype of helpless women in horror narratives
• Atmospheric diegetic sound of dog barking is also a proairetic code for danger
• Lexis of 'dickhead': deliberately offensive to men
• Dull, grey, concrete MES symbolises, a working class setting? Relatable to the target audience, for this scene teenagers
• Narrative 
• Simon subverts stereotypical representations of men by resisting Lena's advances
• Simon's suit creates a binary opposition between Lena's informal costume, reinforcing gender stereotypes
• The representation of gender in Les Revenants is confusing and complicated, which allows the show to appeal to a modern audience. This means the show can effectively appeal to a range of niche audiences