Negotiating your grade
Negotiation in media studies refers to how the audience uses
their own background and experience to interpret the ideology of the producer.
In this little analogy, I am the producer. Your grade is the ‘product’. Ad you
must negotiate how you feel about it, and what you do with it.
First things first: from a pedagogical perspective, giving
out grades is a terrible idea. If it were up to me (and most serious
educational academics), grading work on a 6-point scale would be a thing of the
past. Grades demoralise, or they lower expectations. They are not a qualitative
measure, but a quantitative blunt force instrument. Grades are not like for
like across different subjects, or even the A-level media studies specification
(consider the difference between component one section A and section B!)
Unfortunately, we cannot remove the grades from the assessment.
You expect to see one, because that’s simply how education works. This is a
perfect example of hegemony in action. The college expect to see one, so your attainment
can be measured and compared with different classes, and different year groups.
The government need to see one, to ensure that students are improving more and
more, and that various educational reforms have actually worked, by which they
can inform the electorate that education is working, and children are more able
and literate than they ever have been.
Can you see how ideology is so invariably embedded in
everything we do?
When you eventually get your grade for this mock exam, I
want you to ask yourself the following questions:
1.
Is a grade for C1 at the end of first year
likely to be lower than a grade for C1 at the end of second year?
2.
Will I improve in the next year of study?
3.
Will I change my approach after looking at and
hearing the feedback?
I hope the answer to all three of these questions is YES.
So please, ignore your grade. Look at the feedback. Look at
which parts you can and will improve on. And make sure you know how to do better
next time. Because you can, and you will.
SECTION A: ANALYSING MEDIA LANGUAGE AND REPRESENTATION
Media Language
10. Explore how this
promotional video communicates meanings. [15]
KEY WORDS THE EXAMINER WOULD EXPECT TO SEE
·
Close up
·
Long shot
·
Rapid fire editing
·
Intertextuality
·
Proairetic/hermeneutic/symbolic/referential code
·
Anchors/anchorage
·
Myth
·
Interpellation
·
Lexis
·
Direct mode of address
·
Genre codes/conventions
·
Binary oppositions
·
Reinforces
·
Constructs
·
Ideology
·
Positions/situates
·
The use of technical codes, for example the high
key lighting of the ‘interrogation room’ and the consistent montage of MS/CU of
the protagonist construct an empowering and confrontational mode of address
·
Intertextual reference to action film trailers,
e.g. the conventional generic rock music soundtrack, the desaturated colour
grading, and the later sudden shift to widescreen aspect ration
·
A range of hyperreal and archetypal settings,
which make intertextual board reference to a range of popular film genres.
School, boxing gym, club, the sex scene
·
A highly relatable and engaging mode of address
is constructed through the montage of the protag directly addressing the camera.
The repetition of the lexis “you assume I” further interpolates and situates
the audience in an uncomfortable yet accessible mode of address
·
Othering is encoded through the utilisation of
binary oppositions within the MES, setting, staging etc. Eg the condescending
barmaid opposes the expectation of a margarita, the blunt teacher refuses to
engage with the student in class
·
Editing, conventional use of shot reverse shot
to construct meaning
·
Establishment of a complex narrative through the
overarching narrative ‘interrogation’ shots, diametrically opposed to the
rapid-fire editing of the mundane ‘slice of life’ shots
·
Complex diegesis
·
Shocking, controversial address. The
non-diegetic soundtrack cuts out when the performer shouts “I can read FUCKING
Shakespeare”, constructing a reality where those with Downs Syndrome are more
complex and assertive that stereotypical assumptions
·
Other shocking moments include the shot of a
person with downs drinking and having sex, forcing the audience to confront
their own prejudices and assumptions
·
The cracking of the screen breaks the fourth
wall and helps construct a reality where this protagonist with Downs is
capable, powerful, and even scary!
·
The advert features lexis that explores
constructing a reality, and through the use of direct address, actively
implores the audience to participate in shifting and realigning their values
·
The MES of cursive letters flying from the
protagonist as she delivers her Shakespearian soliloquy constructs an
empowering, emotive and humorous more of address
·
Costume codes throughout the advert (smart
sweater, shiny top in the club, hoodie in class) construct a multiplicity of
complex identities
·
The use of subtitles is arguably othering and
dehumanising: the actor speaks clearly, yet is subtitled on an assumption that
audiences will not be able to understand her…
Representation
20. Compare how audiences may
interpret the representations of gender in the film posters for Sinners
and Kiss of the Vampire. [30]
In your answer you must:
• consider the similarities
and differences in how audiences may interpret gender representations
• make judgements and draw
conclusions about how far audience interpretations of gender representations
reflect historical contexts.
KEY WORDS THE EXAMINER WOULD EXPECT TO SEE
·
Media language stuff from the last question!
·
Representations construct reality
·
Stereotype
·
Preferred reading
·
Anchors
·
Patriarchy
·
Racial hierarchies
·
Genre conventions
·
Target audience
·
Historical context
·
Sexualisation/objectification
·
Othering
·
Postcolonial
·
Identity/pick and mix
·
Gender/sex/sexuality/fluidity
·
Gender in both film posters is broadly
constructed in such a way that reinforces gender binaries, with a clear
diametric opposition between men and women. However, both posters also see
subversion of these binaries
·
The KOTV poster features casual and
hegemonically implicated sexist ideological perspectives, constructed through
the suggestive MES of the revealing costumes of the female coded vampires. This
casual sexualisation would be seen as hegemonically appropriate at the time
·
Sinners (S) on the other hand features a
sexualised and idealised representation of a partially clothed man as the
protagonist, with the MS emphasising his heavily built arms. This suggests that
while the apparatus of sexualisation is still largely the same, there is now
more robust and explicit sexualisation of men
·
There is a notable difference in terms of how
black and white women are represented in S. The glamourous, aloof white woman
is constructed through the gesture code of not meeting the gaze of the
spectator, while the black woman meets the gaze of the audience with a look of
aggressive confrontation. This suggests an intersectional representation of
gender, which may be seen as empowering through diversity, or exclusionary
through othering.
·
Non-white people are symbolically annihilated in
KOTV, constructing a world where only white men and women live and are
important, which reflects the broadly colonial dominant ideological perspective
of the 1960’s
·
The use of horror conventions is used in
different ways. In KOTV, women are situated as either swooning victim or
unlikely villain. Regardless, they both function as sexual gratification for a
perceived male heterosexual audience. In S, however, women are below men in the
hierarchy of both importance and of object of spectacle, and there is no sign
of conventional victimisation that is intrinsically paradigmatic to many horror
texts.
·
Modern audiences may negotiate the simplistic
binaries of KOTV in an unfavourable manner, yet may respond more favourably to
the more robust constructions of complex gender norms in S
·
Both films use historical settings to explore
contemporary gender norms. KOTV uses a 19th century setting to
bypass discussion of feminism and female empowerment, constructing a narrative
conservative even for 1963. S on the other hand uses its early 20th
century south of America setting to explore representations of black
masculinity and sexualisation
·
Both posters symbolically encode societal fears
about gender, as is typical of the horror film, which functions as an allegory
first and foremost. The anxiety that is constructed in KOTV is fear of
powerful, sexually liberated women. The anxiety I S is the fear of powerful,
competent sexually attractive black men in mainstream media
·
Both films use contemporary technology to
situate and emphasise the power of gendered spectacle. KOTV proudly boasts the
film is shot in Eastmancolor, while S emphasises the fact that it is shot with
IMAX film cameras. This is a perfect encapsulation of Van Zoonen’s notion of
the gendered body as spectacle
·
Colour codes construct different gendered
realities in each poster. The sombre low-key lighting of KOTV constructs a
grave misery at the threat of women’s liberation, while the hot reds of S
construct a sweat drenched fantasy of black emancipation and unfettered
masculinity
·
The way in which men’s bodies is constructed
differently in each poster. The male victim in KOTV is constructed through the
symbolic code of his pasty white chest in a display of vulnerability and
genuflection. This contrasts notably with the muscular representation in S. Students
may infer that highly sexualised and idealised men were simply not the norm in
the 60s, and some students may even consider the shift to hypermasculinity in
the late 70s and 1980s
·
In KOTV, men and women are atomised, separate,
opposite. Yet in S, through the conventional film poster alignment of the
characters, a sense of unity is constructed
·
KOTV demonstrates straightforward and
conservative utilisation of the horror genre, which symbolically situates it’s
conservative, sexist representation. This is very different in the more
generically complex use of paradigmatic features in S, which reflects more
complex gendered identities.
·
Both films use represented genre conventions to
construct representations of gender that will be familiar to target audiences.
KOTV resembles any other Hammer Horror film. S uses conventions from the
vampire genre only subtly, and makes most reference to the southern gothic
genre, which broad references to texts such as Deadwood, Django Unchained,
True Blood, Lovecraft Country, From Dusk Til Dawn and perhaps the western
genre. This complex generic hybridity again encourages complex interpretations
SECTION B: UNDERSTANDING MEDIA INDUSTRIES AND AUDIENCES
General advice and feedback for section B
The answers for this section should be blunt and cram in as
many facts and examples as possible. There should be no introduction, no
faffing about!
Only spend the minimum time on each response. For standard
time students, this is one mark per minute
This is your opportunity to discuss facts and figures. For
example, for each industry response, it’s good practice to mention the name of
the producer. For example, The Mirror is produced by Reach PLC. For the Times:
News UK.
31 Briefly explain what is
meant by horizontal integration. [2]
“The
process by which businesses buy up other businesses in the same industry or
sector, usually resulting in less competition for audiences and audience time.”
(Hesmondhalgh, 2007:311). An example would strengthen a response.
32 Name one media
conglomerate. [1]
• Reach, News
Corp, Ubisoft, Universal Pictures, Disney, etc etc etc
33 Explain the impact of
economic contexts on the newspaper industry. Refer to The Daily Mirror
to support your points. [10]
KEY WORDS THE EXAMINER WOULD EXPECT TO SEE
· Economic contexts
· Tabloid
· Conglomerate
· Horizontal integration
· Reach PLC
· Sister publication
· Power and profit
· Minimise risk and maximise
profit
· Cover price
· Maximise revenue
· Left wing
· Target audience
· Persuasion
· Manipulation
· Digital convergence
· Advertising
· AI
· Automation
AO1 – An amalgam of indicative content from the official
EDUQAS mark scheme and additional examples relevant to us
Responses will demonstrate knowledge and understanding of
the impact of economic contexts on the newspaper industry, such as:
·
The nature of economic contexts within the
newspaper industry – large media conglomerates as well as smaller companies
·
The nature of newspaper ownership and its
economic and commercial benefits to the industry - conglomeration, vertical and
horizontal integration, diversification
·
How economic contexts impact upon production,
distribution and circulation, for example the falling readership and sales of
print newspapers and the subsequent move to digital versions
·
The importance of funding and profit to the
newspaper industry
·
Theoretical approaches, for example power and
media industries (Curran and Seaton) and cultural industries (Hesmondhalgh).
·
Responses should refer to the Daily Mirror to
show understanding of how economic contexts impact upon the newspaper industry,
such as:
·
The Daily Mirror was owned by Trinity Mirror
plc, the largest newspaper publisher in the UK but in 2018 the Daily Mirror
bought the Express and Star newspapers. The merging of the two companies meant
savings for the Daily Mirror in a time of falling print sales through the
pooling of editorial resources. The new company was re-named Reach.
·
This example of horizontal integration resulted
in a combined strength of the titles which would mean greater competition for
digital advertising to ensure greater economic success.
·
This also had an impact upon the production of
the newspaper as costs could be saved through the pooling of staff, locations
and resources.
·
The Daily Mirror also has an online presence,
Mirror Online, an example of how economic context has impacted upon production
and distribution. Print readership and the traditional processes of the
newspaper industry have been in steady economic decline as the print media form
has become less popular than digital platforms.
·
Online versions of the paper are cheaper to
produce and guarantee audiences regularly updated news. Attention can be drawn
to the copy paste framework of Reach’s websites for each newspaper, as well as
the significant amount of pop-up adverts and click bait associated with this
·
Newspapers must present a political ideology to
minimise risk and maximise profit. The print edition we studied does this
through reinforcing a stereotypical and highly engaging construction of Donald
Trump and a conservative villain
·
There is a focus on scandalous stories about
serial killers and general human misery, with editorial decisions clearly
adopting an ‘if it bleeds it leads’ approach. This helps to ensure the
newspaper can compete with competitors such as Netflix true crime documentaries
·
Production values and content of the print
editions must appeal to an aging, working class audience. The selection of
puzzles, offers, cartoons, recipes, horoscopes and so on all attempt to keep
the newspaper financially viable with competition from digital sources
increasing
·
The use of a lexis that appeals to a working-class
audience
·
Apps are also available for the newspaper which
is also low cost.
34 Explain the importance of
digital convergence in the newspaper industry. Refer to The Times to
support your points. [12] SYNOPTIC QUESTION
KEY WORDS THE EXAMINER WOULD EXPECT TO SEE
·
Digital convergence
·
Social media
·
Video streaming
·
Clickbait
·
Advertising
·
Brand identity
·
Power and profit
·
Minimise risk and maximise profit
·
Web 2.0
·
Subscription
·
Comments
·
Exclusivity
·
Production values
· Audience
· Media
language
· Representation
AO1 - AO1
– An amalgam of indicative content from the official EDUQAS mark scheme and
additional examples relevant to us
Responses will demonstrate knowledge and understanding of
the importance of digital convergence in the newspaper industry, such as:
·
the nature of digital convergence across
different media platforms as a way of merging forms in order to reach a wider
audience - websites, YouTube, social media and apps
·
how digital convergence is used by many media
organisations to create or develop a brand identity to increase the commercial
appeal of a product
·
the particular significance of digital
convergence in the distribution of media products across different platforms
·
the fact that this means of production and
distribution is used by both mainstream and non-commercial products
·
an understanding that different digital
platforms will have their own particular appeal to audiences but will,
together, produce and distribute the product
·
digital convergence can develop more traditional
products and produce them in a more interactive format
·
theoretical approaches, for example, power and
media industries (inc. Curran and Seaton)
Responses should refer to The Times to support points and
show an understanding of the importance of digital convergence in the newspaper
industry, such as:
·
while print newspaper sales are falling, digital
access to news is growing, highlighting the importance for newspapers of
digital platforms in relation to the production and distribution of their
product
·
the aim of the newspaper is to use digital
platforms to increase circulation and make a profit through the paywall and
advertising
·
The Times has used digital convergence to
establish a brand identity across all platforms, facilitating the distribution
of the product
·
Times app is available to download onto tablets,
smartphones and Amazon Kindle
·
the digital formats of the newspaper offer a
range of experiences not available from the print version of the product which
has changed the industry through the way in which news is produced and
distributed, for example interactive and multi-media features
·
The Times has adapted its digital production and
distribution model, moving from rolling news to an edition-based digital
format, better suited to the newspaper's target audience. The one main digital
edition is updated at three key times in the day.
·
The Times website utilises a clean, web 2.0
aesthetic that is in stark opposition to the absolute mess of the Mirror
website. This allows the Times online edition to convincingly compete with
social media platforms that adopt a messy, confusing and less elegant approach
·
Advertising on the Times website is for
sophisticated products, such as luxury brands and long foreign cruises,
allowing high end advertisers an opportunity to target the wealth subscribers
Responses in the higher bands are likely to draw together
knowledge and understanding of other areas of the theoretical framework and/or
media contexts, for example:
·
the importance of digital convergence in
relation to the newspaper industry is closely linked to economic contexts,
particularly as the more traditional print versions of the product are
struggling to survive.
·
the need to broaden the appeal of what is a more
traditional, quality broadsheet newspaper whilst not distancing more loyal
readers is important for The Times. The range of different digital platforms
have allowed it to do this
·
The Times of London Weekly is an app which pulls
together the best of The Times and Sunday Times, giving a view of London for an
international audience so widening the distribution of the newspaper
·
The Times website costs £30 a month to access,
constructing an explosive and exclusionary mode of address that will appeal to
it’s aspirational, middle class target demographic
·
The comments section of the Times website
functions as a gated community for its readership, again providing a
gratification of exclusivity
·
The Times advertising campaigns are available on
YouTube and appeal to the target audience, for example Know Your Times,
emphasising the role of the newspaper in distributing the most important news
stories. This digital campaign was also aimed at advertisers, reminding them of
the brand, its ideology and the target audience
41 Explain how the radio
industry categorises audiences. Refer to Have You Heard George’s Podcast?
to support your points. [8]
KEY WORDS THE EXAMINER WOULD EXPECT TO SEE
· Demographic
· Psychographic
· Social class
· Ethnicity
· Income
· Ideology eg political
· Gen Z
· Common Ground
· Scheduling
· Podcast
· Pluralism
· BBC
· Inform, educate, entertain
· Cultivate
· Preferred reading
· Fandom
· Categorisation of audiences
here may focus on demographic, psychographic, or other modes of delineation.
· Consideration may be made of
the BBC’s unique approach to targeting, appealing to and categorising audience,
based on its public funding model and its characteristic pluralistic strategy
of media production and distribution
· Students may consider the
novelty and complexity of target an educated black British inner-city audience,
a rather more niche group than would be normally considered by commercially
funded media
· A young demographic, in
particularly very young millennials and gen Z audiences are addressed through
the approachable lexis and consideration of youth-oriented themes and
discussions of music
· However, a professional,
educated audience is considered through George as an aspirational poet and icon
(!), his discussion of his PhD, and the representation of professional
characters, such as the teacher in A Grenfell Story
· Socially conscious young
audiences with a global outlook are addressed and positioned through the
discussion of postcolonialism and the negotiation of African music by
capitalistic forces in the Anglophone episodes
· Black audiences are
specifically addressed through the use of black vernacular, the discussion of
black British and African culture, and certain social issues that
disproportionately affect black people
· Younger, gen Z audiences
will be attracted to George’s use of ‘amateurish’ techniques and delivery, a
great example of Shirky’s end of audience theory
· A digitally aware, digital
native audience are engaged through the COMMON GROUND initiative, which allows
audiences to chat with a rudimentary online George AI chatbot!
· However older audiences with
a predilection to ‘legacy’ media are targeted and categorised through the
release of the HYHGP script book
42 Explain how media
producers attract audiences. Refer to the Assassin’s Creed franchise to
support your points. [12]
KEY WORDS THE EXAMINER WOULD EXPECT TO SEE
·
Production values
·
AAA
·
Hybrid genre
·
Preferred reading
·
Negotiated reading
·
Fandom
·
‘Assassin’s Kittens’
·
Major studio/indie studio
·
Transnational
·
Teke;Teke
·
Unity, Valhalla, Odyssey, Black Flag,
Liberation, Shadows…
·
Digital distribution
·
Update patches
·
DLC
·
Core audience
·
Nice audience
·
Diverse audience
·
Violence/effects model debate
·
Regulation e.g. PEGI 18
·
Cultivation
·
Immersion
·
Interactivity
Stronger students will consider how video games as a medium
are uniquely able to attract audiences in ways that other media cannot. This
may include
·
The codes and conventions of the
action/adventure/stealth genre, that uses endlessly repeated generic paradigms
to appeal to a presold audience
·
The use of violence as a critical vernacular,
with the MES of blood splatter and the verb ‘assassinate’ occupying space on
the HUD for much of the gameplay experience, fulfilling expectations of a
generic and conservative target audience
·
The idea of videogames as a site of technical
innovation. The high production values of Unity may be referenced here, with
the high draw distance, the use of an in-house game engine to render many
character models simultaneously, the high-quality soundtrack for Shadows etc
·
Students may consider the cross-cultural
implications of AC: Shadows, with a combination of French, Japanese, Canadian
and British music artists constructing a complex and transnational approach.
This is further reflected through the representation of the black samurai
protagonist Yasuke, further appealing to a diverse audience who previously have
not felt represented
·
The unique production context of videogames,
with its specific development cycle, and the process of playtesting, open
betas, bug squashing and early access all attract and situate a hardcore
contingent of the target audience in a way that other media could not possibly
achieve
·
The methods of distribution, e.g. through online
digital distribution platforms such as PlayStation Store and Steam attract
audiences through ready access and immediacy
·
The role of fans and fannish behaviour, with
YouTube mash up videos, parodies, gameplay vids, Twitch streams, lets plays,
cosplay events, parkour videos and so on all allowing fans to explore the
franchise in unlikely and complex ways that extend beyond the initial product
·
Ubisoft’s attempts to diversify from the game
series and its original niche have been largely unsuccessful, and the film
adaptation “did not meet sales expectations”
·
The vast production values of these games could
be considered as a means of audience appeal and attraction. The budget of
Valhalla is rumoured to be more than half a billion
·
The interrelationship between triple A/AAA games
produced by vast conglomerates such as Ubisoft can be compared to independently
produced games as diverse as Doki Doki Literature Club to Undertale, which free
from the confines of conglomerate ownership, are able to attract fans in
different, complex ways
·
The range of different gameplay modes and
accessibility settings, allowing audiences to switch off blood splatter, change
the on screen language, add subtitles, or play a completely different ‘history
mode’
·
The various interlocking gameplay systems allow
audiences the pleasure of sneaking, collecting, interacting, exploring and so
on. This is visually explicated in the HUD by many icons appearing on the
minimap; a key feature and appeal of Ubisoft’s games
·
The idea that AC attracts a ‘core’ audience
through its traditional, conservative gameplay loop. The single player, story
heavy experience is in stark opposition to games such as Roblox, Minecraft and
Fortnite, all of which prioritise player on player interaction
Grade boundaries
A* - 81% - 72
A - 72% - 64
B - 60% - 54
C - 49% - 44
D - 37% - 33
E - 23% - 20