Naamah's guide to dumping footage

 Click images to see full size. Thanks Naamah!

Aims and intentions guidelines (for submission in 2025)

This post is for students who started their coursework in 2024, and will graduate in 2025

What is aims and intentions?

• The aims and intentions essay is a short, one page, 500 word essay
• In it, you explain what you aim to do, how you intend to do it, and how you will meet the brief of the project
• You will use evidence from your research in to music videos and the music industry that you carried out in your production workbook. If you haven't done much of your production workbook, you will have some issues in completing your aims and intentions
• This essay is to be written in the future tense. For example: I SHALL use a rapid fire montage of close up shots to engage the audience, or I WILL make intertextual reference to the horror genre through the iconography of knives, blood and fangs
• 500 words is not enough to write a normal essay. Therefore, you will be using lots of bullet points to cut down the number of words you write. It is completely fine to use LOTS of bullet points!
• In exam board exemplars, every band 5 Aims and intentions essay was at least 550 words, so don't panic about the word count too much. 580 is definitely too much though.
• You will be marked on your accurate use of media language, and your knowledge of representation, industry and target audience
• You will also make reference to appropriate theories. Good ones to use are Barthes, Levi-Strauss, and, depending on your video, various theories of representation 

What was the brief again?

Here is the 2024/5 brief to remind you of what you were asked to make and what you are being marked on:

• A cross-media production for a new artist or band in a popular genre (or subgenre/hybrid) of your choice.
• Create an original music video and associated print material to promote the same artist or band.
• You should create a cross-media production for a record label that is part of a global conglomerate (such as RCA Records or Parlophone Records). Your cross-media production should target a mainstream global audience of 18–35 year olds.
• You must create a convincing brand identity for a new artist that appeals to your designated target audience

Cross media production means your music video AND your magazine. The two must link together!

Digital convergence refers to how digital technology can bring together separate media industries. So for example, your music video could and should be hosted on Youtuber and other streaming services, which means it can be accessed 

You can find the full brief, including details for the magazine unit by clicking here

What do I need to include?

The exam board have provided detailed information, which was provided in your production workbook. But here it is again. Use these bullet points as headings in your aims an intentions! Remember, the aims and intentions essay can use headings an bullet points as you please!

Use evidence from your research into: similar products; the industry context; your target audience, as well as theoretical perspectives, to explain your decisions:

• How and why will you use media language in your cross-media production? 
• How and why will you construct representations of individuals, groups and issues/events? 
• How will you target your intended audience?
• How will your production conform to its industry context?
• How will your cross-media production demonstrate digital convergence?

Cross media production means your music video AND your magazine. The two must link together!

Digital convergence refers to how digital technology can bring together separate media industries. So for example, your music video could and should be hosted on Youtuber and other streaming services, which means it can be accessed 

Haven't I done this already?

If you have completed the whole of your production workbook, then yes, the five slides labelled 'aims and intentions' are your aims and intentions. Just copy and paste. However, I'm not sure many people got that far.

How long will this take?

Honestly? Half an hour to an hour for the first draft. It's short and straightforward, and as long as you have done the research, there won't be an issue. If you have been filling out the workbook, you may have already done it, so just copy and paste it in to a Google doc on your Drive.

What does a good one look like? 

Here are a few examples. Please keep in mind, these are from previous years, when the specification was different. So please make reference to the brief you have been set

Example one

Within my music video, it is my intention to use narrative and performance to convey themes of depression, loneliness and the idea of having to put up a happy front around other people. 

Within my video, there will be –

• Varied editing pace to fit in with the slow beat of the song.
• A range of shot types, such as close ups and establishing shots.
• A subtle but interesting narrative, most of the lyrics taken literally and the shots matching with the lyrics.
• Yellow typography uses intertextuality of Quentin Tarantino films such as ‘Jackie Brown’ and ‘Pulp Fiction’. Use of blood and gore to also link to Tarantino films.
• Using mainly natural light to convey a sense of realism and to convey the sad and dull atmosphere, some shots have brightly coloured lighting.
• Colour scheme to show a contrast between interior settings and exterior settings. Interior setting will have a green tinted, dull, vintage camera effect. The exterior shots will have a bright, saturated effect.

In my music video I will be representing young people/teenagers who deal with mental health issues such as depression. I will do this by creating a binary opposition between the shots filmed inside versus the shots filmed outside. The inside shots will show the real emotion with dull, low-key lighting and the use of mise en scene such as blood and broken TVs. To contrast, the outside shots will be saturated and colourful, being filmed on a fisheye camera to represent other people. The inside shots are to represent when the artist is alone and being true to her emotions and the outside shots are to represent how people act happy around other people even when they’re not feeling that way. Some of the inspiration for this type of mise en scene such as the blood from the eyes came from scenes from Uma Thurman, creating even more intertextuality with Quentin Tarantino films.

I will appeal to my target audience of teenagers, especially those who struggle with mental health issues, since the actor is a teenager and represents some of the reality of what it’s like to deal with those issues. Mental health is a big and important discussion among young people and teenagers so i will play into that target them specifically. 

My video will conform to industry standards in the sense that it will include both narrative and performance elements and will include stereotypical elements of an indie music video such as slow paced editing and vintage mise en scene. However, my music video will subvert from industry standards by only featuring one person throughout the music video. 

I will use cross-media production to demonstrate digital convergence by creating a magazine front cover and a double page spread. I want to crest visual interest using mise en scene such as unusual costumes and props. The interview will be a very open and down to earth one, talking about things such as the artists experiences with mental health issues to link to my music video content. The photos will reflect the individuality of the artist to conform to the convention that celebrities are fashion toward and unique individuals. 

Example two

In my music video I will attempt to incorporate a complex narrative and performance, which includes key themes of depression, death, delinquency and identity.

I aim to conform to the industry standards by including these elements of a stereotypical alternative gothic song, which confronts / protests important social issues, such as mental health, as well as producing a memorable and unique video that attracts attention.

I will be including a male actor as the main subject present throughout the music video, tasked with instrumental syncing and posing for unique unsettling shots. The main subject is a white middle classed European teenager, who is inspired through 80s and 90s Gothic culture, with the representation of him being a stereotypical young adult being altered as the setting and performance changes, which represents the drastic emotions young adults face in current times, such as mental health, suicide, identity, morality and stress.

Here are some key techniques, focuses and ideologies that I will implement:

• Mixture of both close up and mid shots to convey the emotions of the artist.
• Colour grading of film to represent different emotions, such as blue symbolising depression / greyscale representing death.
• Hard cuts and ECUs to keep audience's attention and to make audiences feel unsettled / disturbed.
• Multiple film locations which represent different emotions, death and depression in the graveyard, distress and madness in the garden.
• Foreign narrative to inject the emotions of confusion and darkness into the audience's mind.
• Colour schemes that conform to the Gothic genre, with an vintage video overlay which represents the 80s / 90s Gothic culture.

Lots of the inspiration for my ideas came from analysing the music videos "Forgiveness" by Alice Glass and "Kasvetli Kutlma" by SPA, both include seemingly unrelated and unique shots, which created an overall mood of unease and darkness. I was fascinated with the idea of film appearing like it was recorded on a vintage VHS recorder, with the distorted effect connotating the emotion of confusion young adults face in modern times.

I believe that my product will appeal strongly to a young adult audience, as the cast included are shown to be stereotypical of a young adult. The alternative melancholy music and blunt dark themes both play into current teenage culture, where mental health and identity are large topics of discussion.

I will demonstrate cross-media digital convergence by producing a magazine front cover and double page spread, which will promote my video, as well as focusing on the themes presented and the artists themselves. I will use this opportunity to promote my artist and I plan to create a featured article that explores the artist's past experiences with the issues represented within my music video. 

I will encode the themes and ideologies referenced above in my magazine, through the use of the mise-en-scene, costumes will conform to the Gothic stereotype, dressing actors in black clothing to represent depressed emotion. 

I will be using media language to challenge / reinforce perceptions of stereotypes surrounding mental health and Gothic culture, referencing Stuart Hall's representation theory.

Example three

In my music video, I intend to use close-up camera shots of the character’s faces to display to the audience the emotions of the characters they are all portraying in the narrative. For example there will be the following close-up shots:

• angry and heartbroken shot of the performer
• shot of the character who has been cheating looking guilty
• shot where the character who is having the affair looks at her love interest and mouths 'I love you'
• several shots of the performer and his ‘girlfriend’ laughing and smiling together 
• beat-matched shots
• video interprets the lyrics as the song is about infidelity and the narrative mirrors this
• In the magazine there will be simple, yet effective close-up shots of the artist and long shots to show the artist’s costume. The costume and location for the magazine photoshoot will be reserved, to a certain extent, to reflect the artist’s selling point of being relatable, however they will certainly show that the artist is a star and the centre of attention in the photos. 

·      Performance and action scenes will be mid shots

·      Setting scenes will be long shots

Colour scheme will not be too bright, as it will fit the mood of the song and the narrative. Predominantly:

• Whites as a background so artist stands out in shot
• Black and white shots of artist lip-syncing to suit the darker mood of narrative and song
• Saturated and vibrant greens to emphasise ‘present day’ shots
• Faded, brown tinged shots to emphasise ‘past’ shots
• The artist’s costume in the video will be one to set him apart from the other characters (for example in the argument scene the performer’s costume is brighter than the girlfriend’s), however nothing too out-there, as the artist needs to remain relatable to the target audience. 

The social group I will be representing will be young, working-class men and this is shown by:

• relatable, inexpensive and not extravagant costume to fit group stereotype
• locations such as garages for backgrounds of scenes 
• no focus on hair and make-up for the artist, as it’s not typically associated with group stereotype

I intend to target this audience by:

• Using a song by an indie/rock artist, because this is a genre typically enjoyed by the social group in question
• Topic of the song - infidelity - is something understood and often experienced by people especially in this age group so is relatable for audience
• Colour scheme not being anything too bright and quite dark in places, because young people could be put off a music video if it is so colourful, as it may appear childish - damaging artist credibility

The music video production will conform to its industry context, because it

• is approx. 3 minutes 15 seconds in length, which falls between the 3 minutes and 3 and a half minutes expected of the typical music video 
• has fast-paced editing to transition between scenes and shots 
• has a variety of locations 
• has an element of artist performance
• follows a narrative that is not complex and will be easy to follow

The music video will be consumed by an audience who will watch it on their mobile phones, TVs and computer devices, therefore this is digital convergence. This is evidence of the film industry combining itself with digital technology for the consumption purposes of its audience, e.g. if the video is streamed through YouTube.  

I will also display digital convergence through:

• the music video and magazine both being edited digitally using online platforms, tools and software 
• in my magazine article, I will include the social media handles of the artist, so that fans can engage with the artist digitally
• a link to the magazine's website for further reader-artist(s) engagement and interaction

How does media language construct representations in 17 Going Under by Sam Fender?

Conventions of indie rock

• Historically, ‘indie’ refers to being in an independent
• Focus on guitars, with a twangy and jangly sound
• Straightfoward and unobobtrusive drums
• Characterstic voices with regional accents 
• Sometimes the use of brass and orchestral instruments to fill out the sound
• Upbeat and spiky 

Analysis

• The use of long shots throughout the video connote loneliness and isolation. Tgis is further reinforced through the use of composition, with Fender presented in the centre of an emty and deserted street 
• The master shot of fender standing in the deserted street is made notable through his continued ascension throughout the video. This shot was achieved through at least one crane, and the connotation here is that Fender is rising above the situation, and drawing attention to the social injustice experienced by working class people in the NE of England. Additionally a polysemic mode is constructed here, with the symbolic suggestion that Fender has been made powerful through his difficult upbringing. 
• Throughout the video, Fender is seen wearing a short sleeve button up shirt. This shirt has connotations of working class identity. It is literally a work shirt, and features the company logo CROWN ELCTRICAL COMPANY. However, it is also stereotypical of working class young men, and constructs a relatable mode of address to working class young men. By avoiding the high fashion stereotypes of certain ppstars, Fender adequately the serious undertones of the song
• A binary opposition is constructed between shots of fighting and shots of hugging. The fight scene is shot in a confusing style, ith fast paced editing that cuts away from injury deatial, therefore allowing the video be distributed on youtube
• The buildings in the mastershot are stereotypical northern terraced houses, and have connotations of poverty and working class 
• A complex binary opposition is constructed between themes of deprivation and the MES of nature, and beauty
• Constructing refers to how something is made, by the producers of  a media product. Representations are ideological perspectives that have been presented again by the producer using media language. 
• The setting of the dull, stereotypically working class terraced housing cnnotes Fender’s working class background and his hardworking pesona.It also reinforces the difficulty of his life, his past, and growing up in the North East
• As the song progresses, the editing becomes faster, and the length of shot becomes shorter and shorter. This speed of editing has the effect of constructing a more exciting mode of the address for the audience. 
• A clear narrative is constructed that is separate from the master shots of Fender performing. While it is unclear exactly what is going on, the narrative focuses on working class individuals, as identified through their outfits
• There are a range of costumes, all of which are highly conventional, and even stereotypical of working class identity. Fender’s selfless white shirt has connotations of work, and working class identity, and also indicates that Fender is an authentic individual
• Authenticity is extremely important to Fender’s brand identity 
• Fender flys above the streets of North Shields, in a shot which is possible through a crane, and in doing so, constructs an important representation. By being situated above the MES of the stereotypical working class streets, Fender looks on in reflection and reminiscence, remembering the bad times
• The CU shots of Fender’s face are repeated throughout the video, and connotes his importance and popularity. This sense of popularity is reinforced through the MES of Fender surrounded by crowds of inhabitants of North Shields. Dressed in casual and relatable clothing, the video is clearly relating to a young and working class audience 
• A dull colour palette is selected, and favours mainly greys and browns. This selection reinforces the ideology that North Shields is a dull and depressing place to live. Furthermore the desaturated colours are connotative of realism, authenticity, and sadness
• The settings selected are not symbolic of exclusivity, but instead are all places where people can naturally commune. This includes a beach, the streets, parks and roads. While locations are bleak and unglamourous, they connote a sense of youth and working class inclusivity. 
• A binary opposition is formed between inclusivity, with crowds of people, and isolation, especially in the master shot of Fender floating above the isolated and empty terraced street.
• There is a relative lack of interior shots, with a sole shot of a mother looking out in to the street. This is highly evocative of being young and working class, and having a sense of rootlessness, and having nothing to rely on.
• The rapid fire editing that represents the fight scene provides audiences with an exciting narrative
• While we are positioned as a working class youth in this video, the representation of working class youth will provide an exciting sense of escapism for middle class people 
• Towards the end of the video, a shot of a vape sitting on a table is highly connotative of youth representations and working class representations, and therefore would be relatable to Fender’s audiences

Exploring the Lyrics of 17 Going Under

• I was far too scared to hit him/But I would hit him in a heartbeat now - Being older and more confident, Fender fantasises about hitting somebody from long, and feels regret and remorse at not being violent 
• She said the debt, the debt, the debt… - the repetition here shows Fender’s poverty and the endless cycle that clearly affected his youth 
• Cold Septembers, the distances we covered/The fist fights on the beach, the bizzies round us up - the bizzies refers to the police, and represents the policies in a negative and disrespectful 
• See I spent my teens enraged/Spiralin' in silence - Clearly angry at himself, Fender remembers his angry teen years and the frustration of them
• “Arm myself with a grin” this clear coping mechanism has connotations of weapons, war and violence
• “I remember the sickness was forever/I remember snuff videos” - referring to videos of actual death and murder, Fender may be referring to how teenagers may share horrible videos with each other
• I see my mother/The DWP see a number - The Department For Work and Pensions decide who does and does not get benefit payments, and the reperursioons for those who rely on this. The song has clear social realist tendencies 
• “The DWP see a number” - the department for work and pensions are the government body that are in charge deciding who gets Jobseekers allowance and other payments. Many families rely on befits, especially in areas of material deprivation. This line gives the song a social realist quality
• Do it all again next week - the lifestyle of poverty is bleak and repetitive 
• I remember snuff videos - a recording of someone dying, this violent and upsetting image gives the song a bleak atmosphere 
• That's the thing, it lingers/And claws you when you're down - angry thoughts can liger, and can cause problems later 
• The fist fights on the beach, the bizzies round us up - Newcastle slang, and again helps target a northern audience? A disrespectful mode of address
• “Shifting gear” - selling drugs, a sign of financial desperation
• Canny chanter, but he looks sad/God, the kid looks so sad - a reference to the singer, who is clearly chatty, but is also depressed. A highly depressing and personal song 

Made in the Royal Navy - advert mini analysis

How are social groups represented in this advert? Click here to view!

• Extremely fast paced editing constructs an exciting montage of a young man’s life. In particular, this advert represents working class men and boys in the North of England. The stereotypically run-down housing is anchored by the MES of busy and densely packed streets to construct a stereotypical representation of working-class men in the north of England . 
• However, as the advert progresses, a binary opposition is constructed between the bleak images of Carlisle, and the exciting and dramatic images of international travel. This binary opposition, it is suggested that the north of England is both boring and undesirable. This highly relatable and even manipulative mode of address has proven highly successful in encouraging young men to join the navy through a life of freedom and opportunity.

How are representations of gender encoded through media language in the video to Formation by Beyoncé?

• The range of portraits on the wall behind white dress Beyoncé constructs a complex representation of womanhood. It suggests the conflation of both the past and the present to suggest that not much has changed in terms of the treatment of black women 
• There are huge portions of the video that solely focus on women. The mid shot of Beyoncé dancing in the narrow corridor of the old-fashioned house constructs a sense of female empowerment, and the idea that B is more powerful when ‘dancing in formation’ 
• Beyoncé is wearing a red, vaguely 19th century costume that is nonetheless heavily sexualised. Her legs and chest are emphasised through the cut of the costume. This self-sexualisation connotes confidence and empowerment, yet also clearly appeals to the male gaze and ultimately targets a wider audience
• Constructed through a range of binary oppositions, this representation is highly complex and even polysemic
• The contrast between Beyoncé in the hallway and Beyoncé stranded on the police car opposes confidence with vulnerability
• The white dress and the red dress are completely contradictory. The red dress is highly revealing, with the colour red symbolising passion, yet the white dress has connotations of purity and modesty. Once more, a complex representation of femininity
• Her dance movements are jerky and aggressive, which constructs an ideology that women are not vulnerable, and can fight their own battles: a clear binary opposition to the shot on top of the police car
• While the time period of some of B’s costumes are indeterminate, one thing that links them is that they are often very revealing. With the red costume, her breasts and buttocks are emphasis through the cut of the costume. This is somewhat stereotypical for the representation of pop stars. By appealing to the male gaze, B chooses to self-sexualise. Far from a negative representations, this sexualisation could be empowering, demonstrating her confidence in her own appearance. However it can also be argued that she is cyclically seeking validation. 
• B’s dance movements are distinctive and precise. Almost like a marionette puppet, Beyoncé is making symbolic reference to themes of control, and her past career when she essentially did exactly what she had to do to succeed as a black woman in mass media popular culture. Furthermore, the anchorage of the lyrics “I like my negro nose with Jackson 5 nostrils” connotes Beyoncé's journey and her acceptance of her black features and her promotion of black beauty

Bonus - themes of conflict

• Conflict between race is constructed through the lyrics of the song. The lyric ‘albino alligators’ refers to white people symbolically, and not only does this line present a damning representation, but also makes reference to an animal common in Louisiana. 
• Conflict is constructed between black communities and the US government. This is constructed through the MES of the empty police car falling into the flood waters, symbolically encoding empty promises and a sense of helplessness. 
• Conflict is constructed between Beyoncé, a multimillionaire celebrity, and the impoverished streets of New Orleans. While B is not mocking this location, her presence still forms a binary opposition, that makes for striking visuals, although some might question her authenticity 
• Themes of conflict are also constructed through the blunt and confrontational lyrics that address appropriation of black culture, as well as celebrating black identity
• The lyric “My daddy Alabama/mama, Louisiana” self represents Beyoncé as a southern black woman with a complex heritage, and constructs a sense of authenticity

Representation - Super.Human representational analysis

Revision sessions: introduction and rationale

• We cannot cover everything. In fact we will cover very little!
• Subjects we do not cover may be covered by the other group, and everything will be posted on the blog
• The focus of revision sessions is not new content: it is exam structure. 
• Therefore you can and must revise outside outside of lessons
• If you attend every one of these sessions, you will do better in the final exam!

Component one section A

• Two questions, one on representation, one on media language
• The representation question will always be 30 marks, will always take an hour, and will always be a comparison
• The media language question will always be unseen, will always be 15 marks and will always take half an hour

C1 section A: 2 minutes per mark

C1 section B: 1 minute per mark

Compare how this music video extract and the advertisement for Super.Human represent social groups. [30]

In your answer you must:

• consider the similarities and differences in how social groups are represented

• consider how stereotypes can be used positively and negatively

• make judgements and draw conclusions about how far the representations reflect social and cultural contexts.

Knee jerk reaction: the Super.Human advert represents disabled people is a positive and unconventional way. However, the advert also normalises representations of disabilities, in order to inspire target audiences. 

Plan 

Stereotypes 

Graphics

Match on action

Montage

Editing

Rapid fire editing

Machine-gun editing

Bricolage - lots of combined styles

Archive footage

Stuart Hall

ECU

Codes and conventions

Sport narrative

Rocky

Binary oppositions

Lexis

Hyperreality

Postmodernism 

Dark and dingy

Gender performativity

Gender fluidity

Low key lighting

Diegesis - in the world of the narrative

Diegetic sound - grunts

Non-diegetic - Soundtrack

Intertextuality

Role models

Othering - Paul Gilroy

Beat matching - music video like???

Symbolic codes

Hegemony

DAC - definition, argument, context

Representation refers to the re-presentation of reality, encoded by the producer of a media product using media language to construct an ideology. Every producer has an ideology, and uses this set of messages and values to sell a media product to a target audience. In order to make this especially effective, producers will often use stereotypes, commonly held beliefs and assumptions about a certain group of people. However, in this essay, I shall argue that the producers of Super.Human contradict and subvert stereotypical representations of people with disabilities in order to maximise consumption of the Paralympic games, as well as to empower audiences and change perceptions. The Super.Human (SH) trailer advertises the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic games, which actually occurred in 2021 due to fallout from the covid-19 pandemic. The advert addresses these social and cultural implications, as well as presenting an exciting new mode of address to the target audiences

PEA

Examples of points 

1. One way in which disabled people are represented in the SH advert is through the MES of disabled bodies 
2. One way in which disabled people are represented in the SH advert is through the use of montage editing
3. One way in which disabled people are represented in the SH advert is through the use of lexis
4. One way in which disabled people are represented in the SH advert is through the use of extreme close ups throughout the advert 
5. One way in which disabled people are represented in the SH advert is through the combination of low key lighting and dull colour choices
6. One way in which disabled people are represented in the SH advert is through the use of boring and relatable settings

One way in which disabled people are represented in the SH advert is through the use of extreme close ups throughout the advert, which are used to create a grotesque and abject representation of training for elite sports. In one shocking shot, we literally enter through the mouth of an athlete, and fly down their throat, being forced to confront the MES of veiny fleshy tonsils and a discoloured tongue. Here the viewer takes the role of the doctor inserting an endoscopy which positions the audience in an empathetic and uncomfortable mode of address. This is further emphasises through the ECU of a brilliant purple bruise, that constructs a deep hermeneutic code, and presents an almost abstract and abject set of images for the target audience. Finally, the CU of ‘Mr Puke Bucket’, a revolting blue bucket of sick is anchored through the use of low key lighting and the sickly blue colour scheme. The combination of all of these images construct a representation of people with disabilities as relatable, hard working, vulnerable and and even mentally unstable. 

 

Content

• The use of archive footage and slo-mo dreams shots are symbolic of PTSD
• The binary opposition of the abject imagery of a bloody tooth hanging out of it’s socket in a smiling mouth constructs a polysemic address of both resilience and mental instability
• The use of othering constructs a confusing and even upsetting mode of address for the target audience which may instead reinforce stereotypes about people with disabilities
• Lexis - “if you want to be a Paralympian there must be something wrong with you” constructs a sense of othering which may potentially provoke oppositional readings in the target audience
• The smashed glass over the word ‘super’ constructs a complex representation of disabled identities, where to be disabled is both a problem, and something to be celebrated 
• The symbolic destruction of the word ‘super’ instead defines disabled people as people, and constructs a powerful representation and forces the audience whether we should define people by their disabilities at all 

Representation - Kiss of the Vampire representational analysis

 REPRESENTATION

Compare how these adverts construct versions of reality. In your answer you must: 

• consider the choices media producers make when constructing versions of reality 
• consider the similarities and differences in the representations 
• make judgements and draw conclusions about how far the representations relate to relevant media contexts. [30]

Knee jerk reaction

The KOTV advert constructs wildly different versions of reality to construct an entertaining experience for the contemporary audience who may have had completely different expectations and stereotypical assumptions 

Plan

Postmodernism 

Ideology

Media language

Theory

Historical context

Myths

Vampires

Gender performativity

MES

Composition

Conventional

Iconography

Genre conventions

Horror

Colour

Font

Enigma/hermeneutic codes 

Feminism 

Van zoonen 

Gilroy

Gauntlet - constructing identities 

Anchorage 

Lighting

Low key

Stuart Hall

Stereotypes

Binary oppositions 

Encoding and decoding

DAC - definition, argument, context

Representation refers to how something is presented again by the producer of a media product, using media language in order to construct a specific ideology. Audiences can decode these ideologies depending on their social and cultural contexts. In this essay I shall argue that the poster for KOTV constructs a reality where women wield power over men, in a way that could be considered feminist. However, I shall also argue that women are strongly sexualised in a number of ways, which is typical of representations of women in media products. The poster for KOTV is an advert for the 1963 horror film of the same name, produced by Hammer in the UK. The film contains a number of stereotypical and sexist representations typical of the time it came out. 

Paragraphs - point, evidence, analysis 

1. one way in which this advert constructs a version of reality is through the distinctive MES of costume
2. Another way in which reality is constructed in a highly leading way =is through the extremely blunt use of binary oppositions 
3. Yet another way that reality is constructed is through the highly suggestive use of composition, and in particular where the main characters are standing
4. Another way in which reality is constructed is through the very title of the film, and the distinctive and highly conventional use of font
5. A final way in which reality is constructed is through the use of highly typical genre conventions, that inform the audience that this film is a highly typical vampire film.

Evidence - reference to the poster and in particular media language
Analysis - textual analysis, the deeper meaning, key words like ideology and stereotypes, and theories 

A final way in which reality is constructed is through the use of highly typical genre conventions, that inform the audience that this film is a highly typical vampire film. KOTV is clearly a highly conventional vampire film, with vampire being a sub genre of the horror genre. Examples of horror iconography are used throughout the poster. The MES of the bats are not only conventional of the horror genre, but also highly conventional of gothic horror, a genre still highly popular in the 1960s. Furthermore, the MES of blood dripping from the V of vampire constructs a polysemic mode of address, and could signify both a vampire’s tooth and a stake through the heart. However, even more interestingly, we have the distinct iconography of the female vampire in the foreground.  In a highly atypical representation, the main female vampire is represented as both dominant and powerful, which is constructed through her stature and pose, and reinforced through the anchorage of her violent and aggressive expression. By pulling an aggressive and unflattering facial expression, the main female vampire here subverts hegemonic expectations of women. Here the producers have represented women not only as submissive and powerless, but also terrifying and powerful, constructing a fearful and enticing mode of address for the target male audience. Additionally, this subversive representation may also link to the context of second wave feminism, with women's rights and protests being very much in the news at this stage. Therefore, contemporary female audiences may be enticed and may identify with the representation of strong and powerful and scary women. This highly complicated representation would interest and engage contemporary audiences who may be sick of conventional and boring horror films. 

Bonus 

Setting - the dark MES of the bleak fields and the dark castle constructs a stereotypical mode of address for the target audience and suggests that foreign countries are scary and dangerous.. Paul Gilroy argued that non-white and non-British people are often othered, which is highly typical of horror films, and ties ion to fears of foreignness and of those who are different.

Media language - Persil 3in1 Bio Capsules unseen advert analysis

Click here to view this advert

MEDIA LANGUAGE

2. Explore how codes and conventions create meaning in this advert [15]

Knee jerk reaction: this cleaning product advert is highly conventional of it's genre, in order to ensure power and profit

Plan

Lexis 

Colour

MES

Font

Editing

Fast paced

Lighting

High key

Representation

Shot types

Steve Neale: genre, repetition and difference

Structuralism, binary oppositions

Narrative , equilibrium 

Barthes semiotic codes

Hermenutic

Proairetic

Pace

Symbolic

(postmodernism) 

Feminism 

Introduction: DA(C)

Codes and conventions are the typical elements which construct a media product.  Different genres of media product use different conventions.  This cleaning product advert is highly conventional of it's genre, in order to ensure power and profit. However, there are a number of unconventional elements which may appeal; to the target audience. 

Content

• The MES of the vibrant colours construct a binary opposition with the dirt and the start of the narrative, and constructs a symbolic code, suggesting the raw cleaning power of the product
• The advert constructs a representation of a stereotypical nuclear family, with the MES of a mother figure cleaning the kitchen constructing a fast paced montage and cross cutting with a shot of a hegemonically attractive man playing his children. Here we see the editing construct a hegemonic and traditional ideological representation of family, sure to appeal to working class audiences 
• The representation of women in this advert reflects a feminist ideology, as it directly contrasts with the patriarchal hegemonic stereotype that sport can only be played by men. Here we see codes being used in an unconventional way, to appeal to potentially feminist audiences/modern audiences/diverse audiences
• The symbolic code of the mother archetype smiling happily as she washes up reinforces the codes and conventions of the laundry detergent advert, as can be seen in the historical representations included in the 1950s tide advert. Therefore, we see exactly the same sexiest representation of women as cleaners that has been prevalent for centuries 
• Diegesis - in the world of the narrative 
• Non-diegetic: not in the world of the narrative
• Extra-diegetic: something where it is not clear if it is dietetic or not 
• A highly confusing and polysemic mode of address is constructed through the range of contradictory representations. 
• However, the extradiegetic voiceover anchors this complex range of different meanings, and ensures that the audience understands the preferred reading: that women know how to clean 
• The MES of the laundry capsule itself is bright and striking, which symbolises an exciting and delightful lifestyle. Stereotypically bright colours are used to sell exciting lifestyles to female audiences, which reinforces sexist hegemonic ideologies that women are inherently different to men.
• The lexis ‘plastic free’ reinforces the ecological aspects of the product, which is anchored through the naturalistic (and unrealistic) setting, and suggests to the audience that using this product is somehow good for the environment
• The soundtrack uses a rock and roll song to construct a dated and yet exciting mode of address. Making intertextual reference to Grease, a 70’s film with a predominantly middle and female target audience, the advert is able to effectively target a mainstream, stereotypical female audience
• A scientific mode of address is inferred through the use of extreme close up, and suggests that the power of Persil is backed up though scientific research

AUDIENCE

(b) Explain how social and cultural circumstances affect audience interpretations of adverts. Refer to Super.Human to support your points. [10]

Plan 

Reception theory

Encoding and decoding

Readings

Preferred

Negotiated

Oppositional

 

DAC

Social and cultural circumstances refer to the unique background of an audience. Audiences will interpret the Super.Human advert in a variety of different ways. However, the producer will encode their preferred ideology in order to anchor meaning. The Super.Human trailer is an advert for the channel 4 coverage of the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic games. 

A-level revision sessions 2024

This post collates the revision lessons from the final six weeks of the A-level media studies course in 2024. While these revision lessons are specially tailored to students sitting the exam in May/June 2024, you can find other extremely useful revision sessions located here, and helpfully cross-posted on the industries sub-pages. 

Component One

Advertising

Representation

Representation - Super.Human representational analysis

Representation - Kiss of the Vampire representational analysis

Media language and audience

Media language - Beanz Meanz Heinz - Too Good to Leave Behind unseen analysis

Media language - Persil 3in1 Bio Capsules unseen advert analysis

Media language - Beanz Meanz Heinz - Too Good to Leave Behind unseen analysis

Click here to view the unseen analysis example

Media language

2. Explore how codes and conventions create meaning in this advert [15]

Knee jerk reaction: this advert uses codes and conventions in a highly unconventional way to create a bizarre yet relatable mode of address 

Plan

Binary opposition

Summer and sadness

Hyperreality

Holiday retreat setting

Mid shot

Low key lighting

Montage

Equilibrium Todorov

Middle aged man

Open emotions

Bathe’s codes

Hermeneutic

Proairetic 

Airport setting

Bean colours

Bald head symbolises bean

Long shot 

Hegemonically unattractive protagonist 

Diegesis of sound 

Diegetic crying

Non-diegetic soundtrack 

Emotional music unconventional soundtrack 

Binary oppositions

Music reinforces setting of holiday

Happy holiday sad crying 

Yellow polo typical middle aged 

Fast paced editing 

Postmodern 

Introduction: DA(C)

Codes and conventions refer to the elements that adverts typically use in order to create meaning for their target audience, to minimise risk and maximise profit. The Heinz Beans advert uses codes and conventions in a highly unconventional way to create a bizarre yet relatable mode of address

Content 

• The MES of the yellow polo shirt has connotations of happiness and joy
• The airport setting constructs a relatable mode of address for the working class target audience
• The Heinz brand is presented as a luxurious product, that constructs the entire life of the protagonist. This example of commodity fetishism is anchored in a humorous and almost pitiful manner, that deliberately pokes fun at the Heinz brand, and constructs an unconventional mode of address through the use of codes and conventions
• The product is constructed as an essential necessity, which is highly conventional of adverts. In this sense, we see this modern and unconventional advert using highly conventional advertising techniques, similar to those used in the 50’s tide advert, that will doubtless appeal to a wide rage of audiences
• The use of binary oppositions constructs a confusing yet ultimately satisfying mode of address for the target audience. The shot of the middle aged man weeping in a night club constructs an opposition between joyous fdanci9ng and crying. Furthermore, the MES of an older man attempting to dance in a nightclub constructs a humorous binary opposition, the symbolises a midlife crisis. This complex set of codes and conventions ends up constructing a complex narrative using character archetypes that will satisfy the target audience in a variety of ways
• The binary opposition between summer and sadness is reflected through the MES of the sunny setting, constructed through digital post production colour grading to anchor the target audience to understand the preferred reading 
• Confusing meanings are constructed through the unconventional narrative, which relies of a series of hermeneutic codes, forcing the audience to ask themselves why he is crying 
• An unconventional representation of masculinity is used through the MES of the crying missile aged man. However, this conventional representation is used to provoke a humorous response. In doing so, it reinforces hegemonic patriarchal norms, that men should not cry, and seeing a man cry is funny and uncomfortable 
• The montage of CUs of the protagonists face reinforces his status as a hegemonically unattractive man. This allows him to construct a relatable mode of address for the older working class target audience
• The holiday setting is desirable for a stereotypical working class audience. The advert uses a misleading mode of address, utilising intertexual relay, and making explicit reference to the generic conventions of the package holiday. By subverting our expectations the advert uses satire to appeal to a stereotypical British audience 
• Binary opposition between the diegetic and non-diegetic sound constructs an almost psychotic mode of address, and symbolises the collapse of mental health of the protagonist. Themes of addiction and objectification and fetishism

AUDIENCE

(b) Explain how social and cultural circumstances affect audience interpretations of adverts. Refer to Kiss of the Vampire to support your points. [10]

Social and cultural circumstances =  the time in which it was made

Plan

Negotiated readings

Stuart Hall

Reception theory 

Negotiated reading

Oppositional 

Preferred

Ideology

Producer

Lyric sheet/shot list example

Deadlines for coursework for submission in 2025

More to come soon!

Coursework brief for submission in 2025

The following information is for students completing their NEA (non exam assessment, AKA coursework) for submission in 2025. This information will NOT be correct for any other student group. Please use the blog to find the correct information for your year. 

Regulations

• You must complete an individual cross-media production, applying your knowledge and understanding of the theoretical framework (media language, representation, media industries, audiences). 
• Unassessed participants may act in, or appear in the media production, or operate lighting, sound, recording and other equipment under your direction if required. 
• “The cross-media production must be conceptualised as a complete package of interrelated products in two forms, reflecting the nature of the contemporary media and the importance of different platforms in distributing, and enabling audiences to access, the media”

Brief - you must create:

• A cross-media production for a new artist or band in a popular genre (or subgenre/hybrid) of your choice.
• Create an original music video and associated print material to promote the same artist or band.
• You should create a cross-media production for a record label that is part of a global conglomerate (such as RCA Records or Parlophone Records). Your cross-media production should target a mainstream global audience of 18–35 year olds.
• You must create a convincing brand identity for a new artist that appeals to your designated target audience

Task one - Create an original music video to promote your new artist or band.

Length: 3 minutes - 3 minutes 30 seconds. Longer tracks may be edited or faded out to meet the required length.

The music video must construct representations of at least one social group and include the following: 

• Two or more filming locations appropriate to the chosen genre, such as a studio, rehearsal or live performance setting, and other locations to establish the narrative
• A wide range of camera shots, angles and movement
• A range of shots of the artist or band to establish a clear image/identity
• Performance footage (rehearsal and/or live), lip-synched appropriate to the chosen popular genre
• Clear structure with an element of narrative (such as enigma, conflict, resolution or character types) to visually interpret the lyrics
• Editing of original footage to the music track
• Graphics depicting the name of the fictional artist or band and title of the track

Task two - Create an international tour poster AND a double-page feature article from a new British newspaper’s weekend supplement about the artist or band trying to become successful outside the UK

Length: 3 pages.

Your print production must construct representations of at least one social group and include at least 5 original images in total.

International tour poster:

• At least one image (different from the images in the newspaper article)
• Name of artist or band
• Name of tour
• Tour dates
• Information about where to buy tickets
• Social media links

Double-page feature article from a new British newspaper’s weekend supplement (or extract from a longer article):

• Headline and stand-first
• Feature article (approximately 200 words) on the artist or band’s attempting to ‘break into’ another country
• An interview with the artist or band
• Column layout appropriate for a newspaper’s weekend supplement
• One main image and additional smaller/minor images (all original and different from the images on the poster); these may include photographs of the artist/band on the music video set, but ‘stills’ from the music video must not be used
• At least one pull-quotation
• A running header and page numbers

How to get an A in the music video coursework

Use media language to demonstrate intertextuality and/or generic hybridity

Convey a complex representation of a social group using media language

Subvert and challenge typical representational stereotypes

Present an ideological context typical to a major music label

Create a magazine that demonstrates clear stylistic, thematic and ideological links to your music video 

How to actually get an A in the music video coursework

Start shooting the first day you are able

If someone lets you down, deal with it and shoot someone else

If your venue falls through or your location shoot is rained off, shoot somewhere else

If you accidentally delete all your work, take a deep breath and start again

If your teacher tells you your footage is not up to standard, take a deep breath and go out and reshoot

You do NOT need ANY technical skills to get full marks in this project, just hard work and resilience!

Formation: explore how representations of social groups are constructed through media language in this image

• The representation of Beyoncé as a hegemonically attractive woman clearly may appeal to both heterosexual male audiences and lesbians. While her costume covers her entire body, her dress emphasises her curvaceous figure. 
• This image constructs a highly polysemic mode of address. Beyoncé is both sexualised and covered, and her expression simultaneously connotes seduction and anger. This highly complex representation reinforces the ideological perspective that black people are not a single representational group, but are complex with many different cultures and identities 
• The MES of the police car is striking. It forms a binary opposition of authority that conflicts with B’s performatively lazy and unbothered posture.
• The MES of the water around her however not only relates to hurricane Katrina, it also constructs Beyoncé as isolated and vulnerable . This alarming binary opposition contradict Beyoncé's star image, and reinforces the vulnerability of black people in the south of America
• The colour palette is dull and desaturated, which connotes themes of poverty and oppression
• The shot makes intertextual reference to Hurricane Katrina, and in particular the news footage of this event that would be particularly relevant to American
• B’s direct address constructs her as powerful in spite of the flooded setting. 
• B’s dress has connotations of the 1970s, and may be making reference to the civil rights movement, or even just symbolising the timeless notion of black resistance 
• The MS of the natural lighting suggests that everything the audience is seeing is real. It demonstrates a positive ideology regarding black representation, and suggests black people in the deep south slowly progressing
• This is further anchored through the use of costume. B’s costume is bright, stands out, and constructs B as a celebrity. A celebrity is someone in the public eye, and the use of MS here constructs B as the main focal point, and as a powerful black woman. 
• B’s expression is serious and determined, which symbolically encodes not only B’s authority, but also her desire for her music to be taken seriously
• The video is about the aftermath of hurricane Katrina and the disproportionate effect on black people in the state of Louisiana. Therefore her stern facial expression here encodes not only the seriousness of the topic, but also the fact that B is now ideologically opposed to the government
• The image makes intertextual reference to other rap and hip hop videos. However, here B subverts stereotypical representations of black men in ostentatiously expensive cars 
• The setting remains blurry, and this shallow depth of field further reinforces B’s status as a powerful person
• B’s jewellery is distinctive, and the excessive use of expensive jewellery (bling) is another typical convention of the hip hop genre
• B’s hair is in extremely long luxurious braids. Symbolic of black identity, it not only reinforces B as a celebrity, but also as a powerful black woman 
• B’s glamorous appearance constructs a diametric opposition with the grimy and boring parking lot . Not only does this look amazing, it also reinforces B’s confidence in a rea where many would feel threatened

Have You Heard George's Podcast?: How can audiences respond to and negotiate historical contexts?

 Example question: explain how historical contexts influence audience interpretations of media products. Refer to HYHGP…

historical contexts - the podcast is discussing the here and now. The issues represented are issues faced by the listeners

Audience interpretation - audiences can interpret media products in different ways depending on their cultural circumstances 

Introduction example (too long winded to be honest…)

Have You Heard George’s Podcast (HYHGP) is a podcasted radio show produced by the BBC and streamed on BBC Sounds. The podcast is fiercely political, and allows audiences to interpret it in a number of different ways, which is typical of modern, digitally convergent media. I shall argue that understanding historical context is crucial to understanding how audiences interpret this podcast 

Political background can greatly affect how audiences can interpret the show. The show demonstrates a left wing ideological perspective, as demonstrated through criticism of the tory government and progressive views on how to change society. In the episode Francophone pt 1, there is an an explicit criticism of France’s and the UKs colonialist past, which may be challenging to many audiences. Perfect example of Hall’s audience negotiation

 

• Inclusive mode of address is typical of some modern media 
• Politically active audiences are empowered through the interesting knowledge provided by the podcast 
• The availability of digital media allows this show to target a pre sold and pre existing audience
• Audiences can become active, and can explore the complex themes addressed in this show 
• The inculcation of negotiated readings: how Have You Heard George’s Podcast encourages a range of responses

Reception theory

Stuart Hall and his team suggested that audiences can broadly interpret media products in a variety of different ways, contingent on their social, political and economic background. This seems fairly obvious now, but an elderly Filipino woman in north London may well have very different experiences to a middle class white teacher in Cambridge, and this means that they will ‘get’ different things from the same media product. They might have the same absolute favourite TV show, but the ways in which we interpret the ideology of a media product can be wildly different from one another. 

Every media product has an ideology that is encoded by the producer using media language. But not every audience will ‘get’ exactly what the producer intended from the media product. Again, this is related to a variety of factors. Hall and the gang referred to this process as ‘audience negotiation’. We give a little, we take a little, and we come up with a decoded reading that is a little different from everybody else's.

To see some explicit examples of preferred, oppositional and negotiated readings of another episode of Have You Heard George’s Podcast, click here.

Grenfell 

The Grenfell tower was a 24 story high rise building that burnt down in 2017 following an electrical fault. 72 people died in the tragedy, making it the single worst residential building fire in the UK since WWII.

While the fire was accidental, the speed at which the building burnt and the sheer number of deaths drew attention to a number of scandalous safety issues, which have since been found in similar buildings. The tragedy has arguably drawn attention to the poor standards of living of working class people in inner city areas, who are often disproportionately represented by ethnic minority groups. 

The Grenfell tower fire is a tragedy, a political issue, a social issue, a cultural issue, and draws sharp attention to postcolonial attitudes towards people of colour

A Grenfell Story - initial positions

• Interesting
• Emotive 
• Subdued and depressing
• Sad and distressing
• Upsetting and provocative 
• Serious in tone
• Realistic
• Scary
• Eye-opening
• Personal
• Helpless 
• Painful 
• Chaotic and confusing 
• Immersive 
• Highly unconventional!
• Chilled out and relaxing 
• Self-congratulatory 
• Narcissistic
• Humanising 
• Form and structure 
• Has many theatrical/cinematic aspects, highly unconventional for a podcast. A confusing and postmodern address is taken throughout alienates the audience though a confusing and yet sophisticated mode of address. 

Audience reception

• The highly polysemic mode of address of this episode encourages a range of negotiated readings. 
• The episode uses a range of stereotypical representations in order to provoke audience response. For example, the SLT member is presented as snobbish, dismissive and stuck up, and constructs a binary opposition with the younger and more experienced teacher. This binary positions the audience to align with the teachers values and to oppose the values of organised education
• The episode presents a complicated ideology, and presents a range of criticisms of systemic failings in a number of areas, including housing, schooling, and childcare. It assumes a certain level of subject knowledge, and also asks the audience to engage with difficult concepts that they may not wish to confront. In doing so, this podcast favours active audience responses
• An exposure of the systemic failings of the Grenfell disaster, by focussing on a single individual, humanising her through the process of narrative. Sometimes when presented with large numbers, audiences can detach and switch off. By telling a human story, George positions the audience as someone who has lost someone in a tragedy. 
• An uncomfortable and confrontational mode of address anchors the audience to decode the preferred reading 
• A number of people would be affected by this tragedy directly due to the number of people who died. An oppositional reading may be that the shows' narrative focus trivialises the tragedy that happened
• The high pitched chimes and piano arpeggios constructs a deeply uncomfortable and complicated mode of address, that helps to anchor and confirm the preferred ideological reading
• “I want you to imagine you’re in a cinema’, engaging the audience purely through language, and using familiar imagery. A deeply postmodern mode of address that creates immersion. Links all the podcasts together, and constructs his own series of conventions and heightens the emotional impact for the target audiences 
• The message, moral or ideology is not immediately clear. A lack of explicit anchorage forces the audience to come up with their own interpretations

Revising active audience theories

Henry Jenkins – fandom and participatory culture

• There is a crucial difference between mass, passive audience and fans, as fans are active and will actively participate in their consumption of media products beyond just watching something and coming up with an opinion
• Examples of active participation include organising events, writing fan fiction, drawing fan art, purchasing merchandise, engaging in speculation in online fan communities, and many other diverse approaches
• Producers have long sought to actively engage fans, who are powerful and useful audiences through their loyalty and commitment to certain franchises. However, fans can also be fickle, and can turn on producers if they feel that the franchise is not meeting their needs

Clay Shirky – The End of Audience (and now everyone is a producer)

• Shirky argues that digital technology and its convergence has allowed audiences to produce media in much the same ways as producers
• There is now a far greater number of quote unquote ‘amateur producers’ who are able to create news, podcasts, music, and even feature films with the most available of equipment
• To differentiate this from Jenkin’s theory, Shirky argues that quote unquote ‘professional’ producers are now adopting a ‘publish then filter’ model, where ‘content’ is produced, quickly digitally distributed, then later edited or adjusted if it doesn’t meet expectations or is complained about
• However, the idea that we are all producers on a level playing field is quite contentious

How can we sum up these theories so even a 12 year old could understand them?

Henry Jenkins - “If someone loves a film enough, they will do something to show it. That makes them a fan!”

Clay Shirky  - “You have a phone: you can make whatever you want with it!”