Media Exam Yr.10
Lily Anderson
Social Media and Advertising
Brands
How do advertisers get audiences to “want” and buy their products?
A cologne or perfume would be defined as a “want” rather than a “need”. Unlike food and water, we can all survive without them!
They build a ‘brand’ or an image for their product. They want audiences to believe that if they buy their products they can also live that brand.
Narrative Advertising
This is called native advertising, which is when a company and a popular artist use each other's brand to appeal to their audience.
Media Codes used in Advertising
Identities
How "real" are we online?
Social media personal pages and profiles (like TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, etc.) are not necessarily created by their owners to just publish information; they are being used to also construct identities. Social media pages are online multimedia texts which attempt to tell the world, “This is me!”
The Internet allows us to construct representations of ourselves using information, images and ideas, rather than material things such as our physical appearance, clothes and hairstyles. Personal social media pages are a construction of their makers' identities. Creating such pages allows us to present ourselves to the world in any form we like. This form can be similar or quite different to our real world personality.
Some critics of social media argue that our online representations are not authentic and are false and misleading. Others argue that our online representations, although sometimes different to the real world, are just as authentic; they are simply an extension of what we might not be able to express in reality.
Creating a social media profile involves a process of selection of what to include and what to leave out. This process is called ‘bricolage’. The creator uses a mixture of existing and personal images, sounds, video and texts and assembles them together to create a new text.
Bricolage
Examples of bricolage
Selection of particular elements: I chose to include these emojis (🎵🎤🎾🏀) in my Instagram bio as I want people to know I like music and sport.
Indirect allusion to others: By retweeting a message on X from someone else who has said “My friends can really disappoint me”, I’m alluding to the fact that I have also just been disappointed by my friends.
Omission: I didn’t tag myself in a photo as it was not a good angle.
Addition: I have uploaded photos from a party I was at to show everyone what a party animal I am and how I have a great social life.
Deletion: I removed a photo from Instagram after a friend was upset because she looked ugly in it.
Substitution: I used a face tuner app to change my face to show how I don't care about my looks.
Arrangement: I chose a minimalist YouTube channel design as I want people to know I am not a flashy person.
News
Listicles
There are types of online spaces where new journalists often first start out in the media industry, such as PunkeeLinks to an external site., JunkeeLinks to an external site., BuzzfeedLinks to an external site. and Teen VogueLinks to an external site..
Online lists/listicles are a big part of social news media. Listicles are part list and part article. They can be about any subject, of any length, but they are usually lighter, and more interesting to a wider audience.
Listicles work well in an online space as they are easy to read and shareable on social media. Some argue that young people especially like them as they are quick to read and don’t require a lot of sustained attention.
What makes a good listicle?
Having an odd number of points (9, 11, 13) rather than an even number is more appealing to audiences.
A good thumbnail is vital. It attracts attention on a crowded homepage
The heading needs to be click-worthy. You need to gain the audience's interest without giving them all the information
Pictures! Audiences are engaged by visuals and more so by gifs. Reaction gifs from other tv shows and movies that people might have seen are much more relatable.
Media vs Audience
Who is more powerful: the media or the audience?
Media as they can make people believe unreal things and it is everywhere as we use phones, laptops and other devices more than better.
The Audience however makes the media as it is what the audience wants to see that is shown on our media and it’s us who influences the media.
There are two beliefs about Media and Audiences: (*Important for Exam*)
1. Media has the power to influence audiences which have little agency.
The Agency is the ability to do something.
2. Audiences have power and agency to influence the media.
3. The media and audiences both exert power and have agency
How QR Codes are used
They can be used to have heaps of people quickly get to whatever the maker wants and have people want to find out what the QR code means
Describe how the agency and influence of the media/audience is evident in the ‘Stranger Things’ case study?
The agency of what happened in Stranger Things is that by using the song Running up the Hill by Kate Bush as it was used making the audience of a different generation from when the song was originally released in 1985 making it reach No.1 in many countries. From this Kate Bush then earnt about $2.3 million dollars in the space of 1 month.
Use of Hashtags
People can use hashtags to get things of change from people protesting what they want for change as they are the ones that are going to watch it and interact
Describe how the agency and influence of the media/audience is evident in the ‘Sonic the Hedgehog’ case study?
When the first trailer was released the audience and fans hated the outcome of what Sonic looked like and what everyone had imagined as it looked nothing like the original video game version. From this fans made the #needs fixing now and #fixitnow hashtags on social media to make the filmmakers aware of the problems everyone had with what they had released. From this the filmmakers made a big change redesigning the whole of Sonic’s body and making it more like the video game originally depicted him.
Narrative Photography
Shutter Speed - Amount of light let in
This determines the length of time the lens stays open to let light through onto the capture surface.
The faster the shutter speed the clearer it is. The slower the shutter speed the more blurred (ghost effect) it is as it is viewing the scene more.
The slower shutter speed the more lighter it gets as more light gets into the camera. The faster the shutter speed the darker it is/
Slow shutter speed - Lens open longer - Blurred - Longer exposure - more light entering lens
Faster shutter speed - Lens stays open shorter - Less light gets through - Freeze frame effect - Captures Action - 1/4000 (example)
Aperture - F stop (Iris/aperture)
Responsible for the amount of light coming through the camera. It is also known as the iris like in the human eye.
This relates to how wide or small the hole is that lets light through onto the capture surface.
The bigger the number the less light can come through
The lower to the F number the more light
Wide itis (low f-stop number) - More light gets in
Smaller aperture (high f-stop number)- less light gets in
Focus
The subject matter in a photograph which the viewer’s eye rests on. "Focus" itself refers to the sharpness of the image.
The subject matter in a photo which the viewer’s eye focuses on.
Depth of Field
The amount of the photograph that is in focus, or sharp. It can be wider, with much of the scene in focus, or shallow, where less is in focus. Depth of field changes with the camera’s zoom settings.
Depth of field wider and shallow.
Lower aperture the more depth of field (shallower)
The higher aperture the less depth of field (wider)
The higher the iso the more warmth
400 iso (outside is better)
Genres
Abstract - Can’t be categorised with naturalistic representations. Often close -ups or parts of a whole out of context.
Surreal - Bizarre and dreamlike content that is either manipulated or found and framed.
Landscape -Taken in nature and usually of a wide view.
Portrait - Images that focus on people and provide a window into that person’s life or personality.
Still Life - A composition of inanimate subject matter.
Moving Images
1. What is the title of the song and who is the band/artist?
Look what you made me do, Taylor Swift.
2. What is the song about? What are the themes, ideas and/or messages in the song? Include a copy of the lyrics.
The idea is about betrayal and the result and effects from the bad relationship and that she is never going to forget what happened in the past.
The lyrics of:
The world moves on, another day another drama, drama
But not for me, not for me, all I think about is karma
And then the world moves on, but one thing's for sure
Maybe I got mine, but you'll all get yours
Makes it more dramatic and outlining that she is going to hold onto what happened until she is satisfied.
3. What do you like about the video? What about it appeals to you?
That the dramatic idea and sharp movements
4. Who directed the music video? How would you describe their style?
Joseph Kahn and Taylor Swift and their style is quick movements
5. Describe the character and/or the story told throughout the music video.
That the character is being dramatic and with the sharp mouth movements and the red lipstick stands out
11/10/2024
Narrative is the term used to describe the storyline of a media product. It is the sequence of events placed in a particular order to create meaning.
Story refers to all events that happen in the ‘world’ of the narrative (digestive) whether they happen on screen for the audience to see or not.
Plot refers to all events that happen on screen for the audience to see, whether they are part of the diegesis(world of the narrative) or not.
Activity:
From Eden - Hozier
1. Outline the story presented in the music video for this song.
The adults are on the run and
Present to the past. That the adults are criminals.
2. Summarise the plot presented in the music video for this song.
That they are on the run and that they found a child and started to look after him. The kid loves them and they love the kid but they are on the run from the police.
3. Describe what happens in each act, i.e. the opening/setup, development/confrontation, and closure/resolution.
They are all happy and driving and when he hops out of the car he shows the gun and takes down the wanted sign of them.
4. What is the inciting incident?
When the gun is shown.
5. What are the two turning points?
The petrol station and when they broke into the house
6. What happens in the story's climax?
He gets arrested after the police come to the house.
Oceans - Seafret
1. Outline the story presented in the music video for this song.
It is about a young teenager who is struggling with bullies at school but hides behind a mask and becomes powerful.
2. Summarise the plot presented in the music video for this song.
The girl is obviously bullied at school and her mum isn’t always home. The girl then put on a superhero costume. It is thought that the costume is her coping mechanism to help her with her bullies. When she comes across them they then taunt her and hit her in the face, but when they are running away she stands up strong and
3. Describe what happens in each act, i.e. the opening/setup, development/confrontation, and closure/resolution.
Introduced to the character and that her mum was working and not home. She has the word Loser on the back of her school shirt. She then put on the costume.
Goes to the store and gets a drink and sits alone and then comes across the bullies. They then hit her in the face.
She then gets home and her mum is there and they hug and she calms down
4. What is the inciting incident?
When she puts on the superhero costume. It intrigues the audience into why she might be wanting and needing to put it on.
5. What are the two turning points?
Putting on the superhero costume and when she makes the bullies run away.
6. What happens in the story's climax?
When she imagines or it actually happens that the bullies all run away.
15/10/2024
Expect the Expected
Firstly, there are two types of music videos: performance and conceptual.
Performance music videos feature the band or artist performing their song. (Actually playing the song)
Conceptual music videos display visuals that relate to an idea in the song, or connect to its lyrical imagery. They often have a plot and tell a story. (Just make a video placing photos/videos together)
Some music videos can be a combination of both these types.
What are Conventions?
Conventions are accepted and understood ways of constructing media products, or the sets of rules that determine how these products are made.
Music videos have their own set of conventions that are specific to this form of media: rapid shot changes and symbolic images. Audiences would expect to see these in a conceptual music video.
Rapid shot changes are shots that are cut to the beat of the music
Symbolic images are visuals that create meaning and encourage audiences to interpret what they see.
Activity:
Read the lyrics and watch the music video for 'Cold Little Heart' by Michael Kiwanuka. Then respond to these questions:
1. What is your interpretation of the song?
That they are possibly related and the older one might have been teaching the younger one how to do some things (passing down information). Their relationship was close.
In the end the younger boy is looking forward, moving forward in the car and that he has reflected on what has happened and is moving on from the sadness.
2. How is meaning shown through the visuals in the video? Give at least three examples of symbolic images.
I think the rain and the black clouds coming over represent the sadness and the possible tears falling down as the leaf showed rain droplets falling down. It also then relates to the idea about the ‘Cold Heart’ and being in sadness.
The lone car in the scene shows the car with the hazard lights flashing without any number plates. It could link to the idea that something might happen which will tear them apart.
The dramatic build up feels like it ends with that the older person (possibly brother) links to that he might die, which is led up to by the higher louder dramatic music and the flashing of the lightning.
The lyrics also at the end link to the idea of musicing on as it says “Maybe this time I can go far,
Thinking about where I've been” showing linking as well to moving forward in the car, moving onto what the future might look like and holding out for him to continue to go to.