We have completed excellent in-depth studies of Capital and Deutschland 83 alongside important work on political and postmodern theories as well as industry contexts.
We now need to create an index to ensure we haven't missed any vital notes or tasks. As you know, keeping an index of all your work is extremely good practice from a revision perspective. This keeps the vital CSP information fresh in your mind and also highlights if you've missed anything for any reason.
TV index: Capital & Deutschland 83 Your TV index should include the following:
For your index, it needs to link to YOUR corresponding blogpost so you can access your work and revision notes quickly and easily. This also means you if you have missed anything you can now catch up with the work/notes and won't underperform in the upcoming assessment and end of Year 12 exam due to gaps in your knowledge.
The best way to learn the conventions of a media product is to create one. Your first task for the Magazines unit is to create an original front cover for an existing magazine. This will also help to prepare you for the cross-media coursework starting with your coursework teacher in July. Task: Choose an existing magazine and create a front cover for a new, original edition of your chosen publication. Example: student version of Vogue magazine...
Magazine practical production: tasks Create a blogpost called 'Magazine practical task research and planning' and complete the following tasks: Research
1) Use Google to research potential magazines that you could use as your brand/design for this project. Create a shortlist of three potential magazines and embed an example front cover from each one. We recommend looking at lifestyle magazines or a similar genre as these are more achievable to re-create. 2) Choose one of the three magazine brands to use for your project e.g GQ, Vogue or The Gentlewoman. Then find three different front covers for your chosen magazine and embed them in your blogpost. Analyse the fonts, colours and typical design. What is the language or writing style? How are the cover lines written? What camera shot is generally used for the cover image? You need to become an expert in the design and construction of this magazine and its branding. Planning
1) On a Word or Google document, plan your main cover line (also called the 'main flash') - this is the main cover story that links to your central image. 2) Briefly plan the image you will need for the cover - model, costume, make-up, lighting etc. At this point, simply describe the image you need to capture. 3) Write the cover lines and any additional text you need for your magazine cover. 4) Sketch out your cover on plain A4 paper using your written planning. Take a photo of your sketch and upload it to your blogpost. Photoshoot
We will do a photoshoot in class next week with lighting and backdrop. However, if you prefer you can arrange your own photoshoot for the cover image in your own time - you can use your phone or your own camera to take an image. If you don't have a phone or camera that is suitable, you can sign out a camera from Mr Harrison.
1) On your planning document, write the date, time and location of your photoshoot and the name of the model or photographer you will use (you can choose anyone to be your cover model or you can be the cover model yourself). Photoshop design
You will have one Media lesson to create your magazine cover on Photoshop but you will probably need more time than this. In order to complete this work, you will need to work in DF06 when you don't have other lessons or use Photoshop at home. You already have access to Photoshop at home via our fantastic Adobe Creative Cloud subscription (worth around £25/month!)
Photoshop tutorials
The best way to learn Photoshop is simply to start creating your magazine cover and learn as you go. There are thousands of tutorials on YouTube to help you - here are just a couple of examples:
Publication to blog and evaluation
1) Once you have completed your design in Photoshop, go to 'File > Save a copy' and save your finished Photoshop magazine cover as a JPEG image. Then, upload it to your blogpost.
2) Upload two genuine covers of the magazine you have chosen and put them next to your front cover. This is a brilliant way to check how professional your work looks alongside the real thing. 3) Write a short evaluation of your work: have you succeeded in your brief to create a new, original edition of an existing magazine? Does your cover stand up alongside the genuine covers of your chosen magazine? How professional is your work alongside those genuine examples? 4) Finally, what would you do differently if you completed this assignment again? Deadline: see Google Classroom
The television industry has changed significantly in recent years and we need to explore some of these industry contexts to go alongside our analysis of Capital and Deutschland 83. As an in-depth topic, we could be asked any kind of question on television - language (e.g. genre or narrative), representation, audience or industry. Aspects of the industry context include the rise in foreign-language television and the impact of digital media (the internet and streaming) on the TV industry.
The rise in foreign-language television
Through globalisation and developments in technology, the way we watch television is completely different to even 15 years ago. We need to explore the rise in popularity of foreign-language television and work out why audiences like it and what is behind the recent surge in interest. Foreign-language television Foreign-language television is becoming increasingly mainstream with the rise of on-demand services such as Netflix and Amazon Prime alongside UK digital channels such as BBC4. Audiences are now accustomed to 'binge-watching' TV drama and seem increasingly open to content from around the world. This perhaps reflects the global nature of the internet and the fact younger generations are more likely to see themselves as global citizens. It also reflects the global nature of the television industry with a small number of international media conglomerates owning the vast majority of TV production companies.
Walter Presents ‘Walter Presents’ is a video-on-demand (VOD) service from Channel 4, available through their online streaming site All4. The service presents international TV drama curated by Walter Iuzzolino. The service aims to avoid so-called arthouse programming in favour of more mainstream productions, aimed at competing against Netflix and Amazon Prime. Walter Iuzzolino stated any selected show must be popular in its native country and it must be “award-winning or critically acclaimed”. Watch the trailer for the ‘Walter Presents’ service and think about the following questions:
Close-textual analysis: how does the trailer use film language to encourage the audience to watch?
What conventions of TV drama are highlighted in the trailer?
How many clips from Deutschland 83 can you spot?
What audience pleasures are suggested by the trailer?
Meet Walter promo clip Channel 4 created a short introductory video for ‘Walter Presents’. Watch the clip and think about the following:
How is Walter introduced?
What target audience is this aiming at?
What audience pleasures are suggested from the promo?
What does Walter say about TV drama?
The impact of new and digital media on television
New and digital media - the internet - has had a huge impact on the television industry in the last 10 years. Streaming services like Netflix and Amazon Prime have fundamentally changed the way we watch television. Remember - in just 15 years, Netflix has gone from a mail-order DVD company to a giant in the television content production industry. Netflix now spends upwards of $8 billion a year making original TV programmes - more than the budget for the entire BBC.
Watch Newsweek magazine's short video on how Netflix changed TV: TV Drama One of the key genres for Netflix and Amazon Prime is TV drama. Many of these dramas now have the budgets and production values of Hollywood movies and many top actors are choosing to work in television rather than film. In addition, the increase in streaming services has created a worldwide distribution network for acclaimed foreign-language TV dramas such as Deutschland 83.
Streaming services and audiences
For audiences, streaming has changed the way we watch television. 'Event TV' (also known as 'appointment-to-view') is far less common now. This is when millions of people around the country would tune in to watch the latest episode of a drama at a set day and time. Many people now 'binge-watch' TV dramas by watching multiple episodes back-to-back.
Television industry contexts: Blog tasks To finish our work on television, we need to complete some tasks exploring industry contexts around foreign-language TV, the changing audience for television and how streaming impacts the way audiences consume TV. Indeed, when answering these questions, consider the issues from both an audience and industry perspective. Independent: British viewers can't get enough of foreign-language dramas Read this Independent feature on foreign-language dramas. If the website is blocked or forcing you to register you can access the text of the article here. It features an in-depth interview with Walter Iuzzolino who curates Channel 4's Walter Presents programming. Answer the questions below: 1) What does the article suggest regarding the traditional audience for foreign-language subtitled media? 2) What does Walter Iuzzolino suggest is the key appeal of his 'Walter Presents' shows? 3) The article makes an interesting claim for the popularity of subtitles in the multi-screen age. What does it suggest? 4) What are the other audiences pleasures of foreign TV drama suggested by the article?
Film School Rejects: The foreign TV dramas you're missing out on Now read this Film School Rejects feature on the foreign TV dramas you're missing out on. This contains some particularly useful background on Deutschland 83's reception internationally. If the website is blocked, you can access the article text here. Answer the following questions: 1) What does the article tell us about Deutschland 83's release schedule? 2) The article contains important statistics on viewing figures in different countries. What were the German viewing figures for the first and last episode? What were Channel's 4's viewing figures for Deutschland 83? 3) Who are the two production and distribution companies behind Deutschland 83 and what did they announce in October? 4) How does Walter Iuzzolino use social media to engage audiences in new international TV dramas? How does he suggest this has changed the reception of foreign productions in the UK?
The Guardian: How tech is changing television Read this Guardian feature on how tech is changing television. This has some particularly useful aspects from an industry perspective - how TV is made, the different formats of TV drama and more. Answer the following questions: 1) How have streaming services such as Netflix or Amazon Prime changed the way TV drama narratives are constructed? 2) Why has the rise in streaming led to more complex storylines and an increase in cliffhangers? 3) How have the "economics of production" kept TV drama largely sticking to the 45- or 60-minute episode format? 4) How has "permanent 24/7 connectivity" changed both the production and consumption of TV drama?
Media Magazine: Netflix and the Cultural Industries
Finally, go to our Media Magazine archive and read the article on Netflix and the Cultural Industries (MM63 - page 45). Answer the following questions: 1) What does David Hesmondhalgh argue with regards to how the creative industries have changed since the 1980s? 2) What is technological convergence? 3) How are technology companies challenging traditional broadcasters in the TV industry? 4) The global nature of modern television means producers are having to consider international audiences when creating content. What example from Netflix does the article use to explain this?
There is a fair amount of work here - the questions are not too challenging but there is plenty to read. Feel free to answer the questions in bullet points if you find it quicker. Remember, this reading and notetaking will prepare you brilliantly for the extended essay question in Media Paper 2 - particularly if the question focuses on industry or audience.
Due date: on Google Classroom
Extension tasks
If you're particularly interested in this industry, you may want to read the following articles or take on the following tasks that go into more detail on the TV industry:
How do changes in technology influence the creation of TV dramas such as Capital or Deutschland 83? Try and make specific references to the two TV CSPs in your answer.
We have completed some excellent work on our Advertising and Marketing CSPs. We now need to create an index to ensure we haven't missed any vital notes or tasks.
As you know, keeping an index of all your work is extremely good practice from a revision perspective. This keeps the vital CSP information fresh in your mind and also highlights if you've missed anything for any reason.
Advertising and Marketing index Your Advertising and Marketing index should include the following:
For your index, it needs to link to YOUR corresponding blogpost so you can access your work and revision notes quickly and easily. This also means if you have missed anything you can now catch up with the work/notes and won't underperform in future assessments/exams due to gaps in your knowledge.
Advertising and Marketing assessment
You will have an assessment on the Advertising and Marketing topic in the next two weeks - date confirmed by your exam class teacher. This will feature questions on an unseen text and a 20-mark essay on your Advertising and Marketing CSPs. Use your index to help revise the key theories and CSPs for this topic.
Our second Advertising and Marketing CSP is the 2021 Sephora advert Black Beauty Is Beauty. This gives us an opportunity to explore social and cultural contexts regarding race and ethnicity - while also looking at postcolonial theory and the changing representations of gender in advertising.
Notes from the lesson are here: Sephora: introduction
Sephora is a French-owned global retailer of beauty products including cosmetics, hair carem skin care and more.
Launched in 1970 it now operates 2,300 stores across the world and income is $4bn a year (2022).
In June 2020, Sephora announced that it would take the 15% pledge - committing to fill 15% of their store shelf space with products from Black-owned businesses.
Sephora racial profiling scandal
Sephora was accused of racial profiling by rapper SZA in 2019 who claimed security staff had been called because a white rapper suspected her of shoplifting.
Celebrities such as Rihanna who had promoted Fenty Beauty products for the store responded to the tweet which ensured it became a major threat to Sephora's global brand.
Sephora responded by closing stores around the world for one day for 'inclusivity training' - though they claimed this was not a response to the criticism and had been planned for some time.
Sephora's 2021 Black Beauty Is Beauty campaign could be seen as an attempt to repair the brand's reputation and relationship with Black culture.
Sephora Black Beauty Is Beauty
The Sephora Black Beauty Is Beauty advert is aimed at YouTube and social media rather than TV placement.
The advert reflects a move from many brands from television to online broadcast adverts. This allows adverts that can run to longer lengths than the traditional 30 seconds and which therefore places limitations in construction and design.
The advert is here:
Stereotypes
Adverts often use stereotypes to communicate information quickly to their audience. For this Sephora advert, it was critical to its complex and challenging message that black stereotypes were not lazily reinforced.
Instead, the advert celebrates the way that elements of Black culture and cosmetics associated with Black culture have led to changes in the wider idea of mainstream beauty in the cosmetics industry.
It also helps to position Sephora as a 'woke' brand aware of the contributions of different races and ethnicities.
Representations in advertising
Erving Goffman defines adverts as "highly manipulated representations of recognisable scenes from 'real life'".
This means scenes that create a sense of personal identity in audiences while still offering an ideal or desirable take on 'real life'. In effect, 'this is what life could be'.
The Sephora advert's mise-en-scene (particularly the settings and locations) taps into this idea strongly.
Racial bias in search engines and algorithms
Linked to this advert, Sephora has also looked to highlight racial bias in online algorithms and machine learning. This YouTube video that accompanied the main advert, called 'What you need to know about Black beauty', explains the need for the campaign:
Blog tasks: Sephora Black Beauty Is Beauty CSP
Work through the following tasks to make sure you're an expert on the Sephora CSP and particularly the wider social and cultural contexts.
Complete the following questions/tasks: 1) What was Sephora trying to achieve with the campaign?
2) What scenes from the advert are highlighted as particularly significant in the articles?
3) As well as YouTube, what TV channels and networks did the advert appear on?
4) Why does the Refinery29 article suggest the advert 'doesn't feel performative'?
5) What is the 15 per cent pledge and why is it significant?
Advertising agency feature
The Black Beauty Is Beauty advertising spot was created by global creative agency R/GA. Look at their website feature on the project and answer the following questions:
1) Why did Sephora approach R/GA to develop the advert?
2) What was the truth that R/GA helped Sephora to share?
