Introduction

THE BEST IS YET TO COME…

An introduction to media studies In this session we will be •Looking at the rules/ regulations/ contracts •Looking at an overview of the year •To understand the requirements of the exam •To learn the terms Macro and Micro •To develop an understanding of the key concept of ‘Representation’

A/S LEVEL MEDIA STUDIES OCR SPECIFICATION A/S G322: Key Media Concepts (TV Drama) - JANUARY • Candidates gain an understanding of textual analysis, representation, institutions and audiences. Study an Industry – Film Four Study TV Drama G321: Foundation Portfolio in Media - JUNE • Candidates produce two paired media artefacts from a series of briefs. A continuity exercise The opening sequence to a fiction film ( max 2 minutes) 13 weeks – 52 Lessons

Exam Requirements • The examination is two hours (including 30 minutes for viewing and making notes on the moving image extract) • Candidates are required to answer two compulsory questions • The unit is marked out of a total of 100, with each question marked out of 50

G322 KEY MEDIA CONCEPTS • Textual analysis and representation in Television drama. EXAM – In the exam students will see a sequence from a drama. They should interpret the way representations are created by analysing content and media language.

Macro - Micro Analysing the Micro • Camera Angle, Shot, Movement and Composition • Mise-en-Scène • Editing • Sound Draw conclusions on the Macro • How do the technical aspects above create meaning for an audience, focussing on the creation of representations of specific social types, groups, events or places within the extract.

This exam requires: • No waffly introduction or conclusion – it is not a discussion • Lots of examples from the text you have viewed • Must answer in continuous prose – no bullet points • Only analysis - no descriptions • Must apply the correct media terminology in their analysis • Must focus on question • One solid approach is for students to identify the representations of place and people and then look at the technical areas to see how they sustain these representations.

Over the next 13 weeks you will • Develop analytical skills so that you can analyse any TV drama •understand the concept of representation as a key element of a TV drama •show how representations are constructed •show an awareness of the relationship between form and content

This will be done through a mixture of the following teaching and learning methods: Analysis skills filming editing quizzes Mock exams weekly homework simulations watching lots of examples of tv drama group work discussion

Media Studies gives you a … Media Language Genre Audience Narrative

Ideology Representation Institution

Watch this clip? How will you apply your knowledge of them in the exam?

Media Language Genre Audience Narrative

Ideology

Representation Institution

What do these terms mean? How will you show your knowledge of them in the exam?

Media Language Genre Audience Narrative

Ideology

Representation Institution

Macro analysis - Representation Key Words Ideology Stereotype Archetype Positive Negative Subjective Mediated Verisimilitude Realism Realistic

Representation – A Definition “ The media do not just offer us a transparent ‘window on the world’ but a mediated version of the world. They don’t just present reality, the re-present it.”

Representation Circus • Table One – Your Facebook Profile • Table Two – The Streets task • Table Three – Alien Magazines

Representation Circus • Table One – Your Facebook Profile – Describe/ draw your facebook profile as it is now ( Status/ picture/apps) – Would you change anything if I was your friend? – Would you change anything if your mum was your friend? – Would you change anything if your employer was your friend?

Table Two – The Streets task - Listen to ‘Geezers need excitement’ x 2 - Take on the role of the female if your male and male if your female - Note down every reference to your new gender in the song - In a group share your responses

Table Three – Alien Magazines • Look through the magazines on the table • Imagine you are an alien ( not hard for some) • From the evidence in the magazine wrie a list of female interests and traits / male interests and traits

Feedback on outcomes of the task • Table One – Your Facebook Profile • Table Two – The Streets task • Table Three – Alien Magazines

Key Learning Points • All representations are a mediation of the truth ( some more so than others) • Our reading of the representation is effected by a number of factors – culture, age, context, form, content • Media representations often appear ‘unproblematic’ or ‘unquestioned’ – this can be problematic and should be questioned! • To explore this Macro area you have to go Micro