12D Cover Work - Thurs. 25/11, p6

Remember the basic rules first:

• Arrive on time - make sure you register with Mr Qureshi;
• Stay in the classroom until the end of the lesson;
• Work responsibly on the tasks set.

Carry out a textual analysis of the following clips (like you did for the Ford advert and the 'Little Britain' scene)...

1. Graham Norton, BBC1 – Schwarzenegger (first 3 mins.)
2. London 2012 – Bond/Queen (first 3 mins.)
3. Some Girls – BBC3 trailer

For each one, provide detailed comments on your blog on the following:

• Groups/place represented? How?
• Dominant or alternative representation? Why?
• Links to theory?

Also, don't forget the homework (due for Thursday 3/12).

MEST2: Existing product research

Complete the following as an extended blog post or a selection of five blog posts:

1) Find five arthouse film clips or sequences – ideally in a genre similar to your film idea or preferred genre. There is a list of example arthouse films on the blog.

2) Write an analysis of each two- to three-minute sequence using everything you have learned about film language (camerawork, sound, mise-en-scene, editing etc.)

3) Research the target audience for each film (including the BBFC certificate) and produce your own assessment of who it appeals to and why.

You should be aiming for at least 300 words per film - you may write much more than this.

Arthouse films

There are a huge number of arthouse and independent films out there - you may well know of many yourself. These are a few to get your research started if you're unsure:

• Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
• It Follows
• Girlhood
• Donnie Darko
• The Falling
• Run Lola Run
• La Haine
• Boyhood
• Lilting
• Borrowed Time
• Monsters
• Appropriate Behavior

You need to find YouTube clips of scenes from these films (not trailers - though you may want to watch the trailer to find out more about the narrative). There are usually scenes available, for example:

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind




Girlhood





Donnie Darko




The Falling




Your existing product film research is due on Friday 4 December.

Representation theories: blog task

A reminder of the notes on Representation theories:

Richard Dyer: Stereotyping and power
Richard Dyer's theory suggests that the complexity and variety of a group is reduced to a few key characteristics. An exaggerated version of these characteristics is then applied to everyone in the group. 

He states that those with power stereotype those with less power. 

Therefore, we have stereotypes of non-white people, poor people and women... but not so many of white, middle class men.


Medhurst: shorthand that carries value judgements

Andy Medhurst suggests stereotyping is shorthand for identification. This means we use stereotypes to tell audiences a lot in a short space of time.

However, this can carry value judgements and therefore be very negative for the representation of minority groups. Medhurst gave the example of the representation of gay men: 

"The image of the screaming queen does not just mean 'all gay men are like that', it means 'all gay men are like that and aren't they awful', which in turn means 'and they are awful because they are not like us'."

Perkins: stereotypes can be positive or partly true

Tessa Perkins suggests some stereotypes can be positive and are often true.

Specifically, she stated that stereotypes are...

• Not always negative (the French are good cooks)
• Not always about the less powerful (Politicians are corrupt)
• Can be about our own social groups (Students are lazy)
• Not always false (The Scottish wear kilts)
• Can change over time (A typical British holiday was in Blackpool; now it is Spain)

Mulvey: the male gaze

Laura Mulvey suggests that the dominant view in the media is masculine and created for the benefit of men. Women are presented for men to look at, hence the ‘male gaze’. This links to the idea of ‘sex sells’ and women being represented as sex objects.

More recently, the idea of the ‘female gaze’ has been suggested. Rosalind Gill suggests the objectified male is an example of post-feminist media culture in modern Britain. Task: write down an example for each.

Linked to Mulvey...

Berger: ‘Ways of seeing’

An additional representation theory that influenced Mulvey:

John Berger (1972) stated that: “Men act and women appear”

“Men look at women. Women watch themselves being looked at.”

Levi-Strauss: Representation and ideology

Claude Levi-Strauss suggests that representations in the media are informed by ideology: the set of beliefs and values held by the producer of the text.

Some things are included and others are left out to create a dominant or preferred representation. 

Representation task

Return to your TV or film clip that you have already analysed for dominant/alternative representations and stereotypes (original blog task was here).

You now need to write an in-depth analysis of the representation in this clip as if you were writing an essay or exam answer. 

Apply the representation theories we have learned (you must apply a minimum of three of the theories) and write a minimum of 500 words.

Complete for homework: due next week in double lesson

MEST2 brief

Now your preliminary exercises are complete, we need to start our actual MEST2 coursework planning.

The first aspect of this is to interrogate the brief you have been given - you can find the full 2016 MEST2 brief here.

We are working on Brief One - The Little Picturehouse.

Your tasks will be broadcast and print:

(a) Broadcasting
Select one of the following topics as a general inspiration for the film you wish to create:

• Modern-noir
• Play!
• Urban Life
• Summer
• The Secret
• Romance
• Friendship.

Create approximately 3 minutes of moving image footage as an extract from the proposed film.

For example, you might choose to create:

• the film's opening to establish genre, character and location;
• a moment of conflict to show your ability to create emotion/atmosphere/tension/excitement;
• contrasting scenes with transitions to show how you can create changes in tone and pace;
• a specific set-piece for example: a family conversation over dinner; a training montage; a chase scene;
• scenes that create or communicate a specific emotion such as unease, wonder, suspense, surprise etc.

You should identify where the extract would appear within the proposed film.

Your production should demonstrate an understanding of the way film uses camera shots, sound and editing to communicate story and ideas to the audience. Care should be taken when selecting locations, wardrobe, make-up and props. If appropriate, you could use post-production effects.

(b) Print
All entrants have been asked to create pages for a promotional booklet which will demonstrate the variety of local film-making talent and provide information on the shortlisted entries. Each entrant is therefore asked to create their own pages for the booklet. You should create two to three A4 pages. 

You are encouraged to be creative in your approach and try to make your pages distinctive and visually appealing. You should include information about you, your production team and the film itself.

As discussed in class, AQA have given us permission to create four pages of an A5 booklet - e.g. front cover, contents page, double page spread feature.


Your initial task is simple:

Confirm who you will be working with for MEST2.

Look over the topics for inspiration and start brainstorming ideas for your short film extract.

Preliminary exercise evaluation

After the screening of the Preliminary Exercises in class, you need to write an individual evaluation of the Preliminary Exercise you were involved in. As with the MEST2 coursework, you cannot work with others on your evaluation although you may wish to discuss strengths and weaknesses with other students (either within your group or others). 

Your evaluation needs to include the following:

• Your preliminary exercise video embedded from YouTube
• Clear reference to the brief, your planning process, how your script/storyboard/shot list helped create the final product and what you would do differently next time in terms of pre-production
• Detailed analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of your film
• Confident use of media language, particularly film language, showing clear understanding of the key concepts of Media Studies (MIGRAIN)

Here's a good example from last year to help you.

Your evaluation needs to be a minimum of 500 words and is due for Thursday 26 November (12D).

Good luck!

Representation: Photoshop collages

Create two Photoshop collages offering the dominant and alternative representations for a certain group or place. 

Think about the usual stereotype for that group and collect words, images and colours that capture that dominant representation. For the alternative, you need words, images and colours that don't fit the usual stereotype.

For example, if you were to create a collage of the dominant representation of women, you would look for feminine colours, jobs that are associated with women and more. For the alternative representation, you'd do the opposite.

You will be using Photoshop for your MEST2 print work so it's important you get to grips with it if you're not confident already. Use YouTube tutorials, Mr Qureshi and other students in the class to help you learn the software.

When you have finished the collages, save them as JPEGs (low quality) and post them to your blog along with an explanation of the task.


Target grades, folder and index checks

While you are getting to grips with Photoshop, I'll be calling you to the front for a short discussion regarding your target grade in Media, your folder status and your blog index. Make sure you have posted everything to your blog and have your folders fully up-to-date and organised.

Representation

The key notes on our new key concept - representation:

• Representation is the process by which the media presents the ‘real world’ to an audience.
• Media texts are artificial versions of reality
• Even factual media – such as news – goes through processes of selection, organisation and editing that shapes its content
• How are particular people and groups represented in the media? How and why are stereotypes created?
• Is anything true? Or is it simply a representation of the facts from a particular point of view?

Mediation

Media texts are a construction of reality, and play an important role in the way we view the world. 

Reality is therefore subject to mediation which is the process that takes place when a media text’s meaning is created.

When mediation takes place, an institution, individual or even technology comes between the actual event and the audience.

Stereotypes

Media messages have to be communicated quickly which often means relying on stereotypes. Stereotypes work as a kind of shorthand where a word, image or sound will stand for a lot more.

A stereotype is a standardised, usually oversimplified mental picture or attitude towards a person, group, place or event.

Stereotypes act like codes that give audiences a quick, common understanding of a person or group of people—usually relating to their gender, class, ethnicity or race, sexual orientation, social role or occupation.

Representation: dominant or alternative?

A representation in the media will either reinforce or challenge the stereotype.

If it reinforces the stereotype, it is a dominant representation.

If it challenges the stereotype, it is an alternative representation.

Representation: Blog task

Find a YouTube clip from film or TV and complete the same activity we have just done in class:

1) List the different people/groups represented in the trailer (men/women/Americans etc.)

2) For each group, decide whether the representation is a dominant or alternative portrayal.

3) What stereotypes can you identify in the trailer?

Complete for homework if you don't complete it in the lesson - due Friday.