Problematising advertisements Q Block cover work

Previously we have explored how bell hooks argued that feminism is a radical reaction to issues that people of all genders face as a result of women being oppressed and subjugated by patriarchal hegemony. She argued we should even question seemingly positive and welcoming media products as reinforcing negative stereotypes and causing societal issues.

Similarly, Paul Gilroy argued that certain groups in the UK, for example black people, travellers, queer people and women are routinely othered, or 'made different' by representations in media products.

You are going to look for issues in the three case study adverts: Tide, Super.Human and Kiss Of The Vampire. 

Task - problematising the case studies 

Find the three above case studies on the blog. Copy and paste them in to your PowerPoint or whatever you are completing this work in. Then answer the following questions FOR ALL THREE Adverts. You can either write in bullet points or full sentences, but PLEASE use the textual analysis toolkit and use media words to back up your points. 

For each advert... 

What issues are there with the representations?

Who created this advert and why? 

What assumptions are being made about gender? 

What groups are being othered (made different) and how? 

Who benefits from these representations? 

How can it be 'fixed' and made less problematic? 

Super.Human - semiotic analysis tasks and unseen comparison practice (independent work)

 For today's session you'll be analyzing Super.Human. Again! It could come up in the final exam, and you will need need to know it like the back of your hand.

1 - Semiotic analysis of Super.Human

For each of the following headings, fill an entire PowerPoint slide with one entire image. If you don't want to make your own screenshots, just click here to find some! Then, simply label it with notes. Yes, I understand using an image to write about sound doesn't actually work.

• SOUND - Audio track: So You Want to be a Boxer by Bugsy Malone
• EDITING - pace and techniques
• CINEMATOGRAPHY - shot types, camera angles, camera movement
• MISE EN SCENE - It's everything in the shot!
• WRITTEN CODES - writing on screen, especially LEXIS
• HERMENUETIC, PROAIRETIC, SYMBOLIC CODES - Barthes' symphony!

2 - Unseen analysis

If Super.Human comes up in the final exam, it will be as a comparison with another piece of media, that usually will have some similarities and some differences. So you must get used to analyzing completely different media you have never seen before!

Click here to watch 'MOST SOCKING SECOND A DAY' promotional video, an example of a charity advert from Save The Children, used to raise awareness of children living in active conflicts and to encourage audiences to donate.

The video is quite upsetting, which is a convention of charity adverts.

• Analyze the advert using the many MANY words you have available to you on the textual analysis toolkit (click here!)
• How does this advert position and situate it's audience? Where are we? Who are we, and why does this matter?
• Both this advert and Super.Human raise awareness of certain issues. How do they differ? Should the Super.Human advert be more hard hitting?

All notes on your PowerPoint please. However, if this is not possible, please complete the work in any way that is appropriate. Thank you so much for your understanding!

KA5 mock exam October 2024

Component one section A

Total time allowed: fifty-four minutes

You are advised to spend thirty minutes answering the questions in section A, and the remaining 24 minutes answering section B.

1 – Media language

Question 1 is based on the theatrical poster for the 1963 film From Russia With Love

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1. Explore how media language in the theatrical poster to From Russia With Love  constructs meanings. [15]

Component one section B

2-1 Briefly explain what is meant by digital convergence [2]

2-2 Briefly explain what is meant by vertical integration [2]

3-1 In what ways can newspapers target and construct their audiences? Make reference to The Daily Mirror to support your answer [10]

3-2 In what ways can audiences actively engage with videogames? Make reference to the Assassin's Creed franchise to support your answer [10]

Initial diagnostic assessment task

• Codes and conventions
• Camera work – framing, shot types, angle, position, movement
• Editing – pace, type of edits, continuity/montage Structure/narrative
• Sound – music/dialogue/voiceover 
• Mise-en-scene – colour, lighting, location, costume/dress, hair/make-up