Wednesday 14 December 2011

Partridge facts and Stats

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/dec/13/alan-partridge-baby-cow-fosters-online

So then, the beginning of a communal case study. 3, 2, 1...go...

01) Advertisers Naked match-maked Fosters and Baby Cow to produce Mid Morning Matters. This could suggest that, following on from the experience with Ford and The Jones' programme, that Baby Cow see the potential for online television.

02) Sponsorship by Fosters (owned by Heineken in the UK) could indicate that they have a specific market and target audience as the content of the show is predominantly male (cast and crew) , with crude female stereotypes.

03) Could create a new revenue stream for comedy, using YouTube and pairings with commercial brands.

04) The five big players in British TV are BBC, C4, ITV, Sky, and UKTV - all of whom have little money to invest in new programmes.

05) The TV market is diminishing, so many programme makers are fighting for the pot from the 5 mains. Competition is higher.

06) Mid Morning Matters makers' hoped to use the fostersfunny.co.uk site to generate interest but not too much interest in order to then be able to sell it on to one of the Big 5 later, haven already recouped their production costs.

07) Costs are considerably lower. A decade ago - 350k, nowadays 100-300k per 30 mins

08) Mid Morning Matters - 15 episodes of c.15minutes = (125 minutes / 30)x 3000000 = 1,250,000 worst case scenario, best case £416667.

09) First episode 492,000 viewers - by 5th episode 135,000 viewers. Typical C4 new comedy 1.5-2million viewers.

10)
"I've had three requests from broadcasters to buy the show, and we'll pair up the internet programmes to produce six 22 minute episodes." He will then follow up efforts to sell Mid Morning Matters overseas before putting it on to DVD.

Thursday 8 December 2011

Soundtracks - AS Movies Openings

For those wanting music to go over your movie opening check out here:

Music with creative commons licenses

It is vital you do not use copyrighted music over your film opening. The exam board hate it as it is almost always done in a way that infringes copyright.

"But that video underneath uses Candyshop!" Yes, and we had to get Pete of http://petesmediablog.blogspot.com/ fame to agree it was okay. It was only allowed because at the point the earphones fall out and the sound quality changes it was clear that the music was diegetic and was what the main character was listening to and was a hook to bring the viewer into her world, rather than they'd just decided to play Candyshop over the top. So unless you have a clever reason and way of expressing it that Pete will buy (I think this video was something like only the second or third he'd ever agreed it for, or so my colleague enthused) it is so much safer to go out and find a track you like that works that has a creative commons license.

Movie Openings

Have a look. This is the sort of thing we're after:








Wednesday 7 December 2011

Music Video Branding Exercise

HOMEWORK BY WEDNESDAY 14TH:

1) Post to your blog under the heading 'Initial Branding' a short post explaining what your initial idea for artist, track and album name are and why you chose them.

2) Conduct a survey of AT LEAST ten people who are fans of your chosen genre EACH (different ones, and not yourselves or members of your group, and not just people in the class) asking them to give you their initial reactions to your choices. The way you conduct the survey is up to you but it must include some form of detailed questioning to get clear responses. 'I don't like it' isn't a clear enough response.

Monday 5 December 2011

Convergence

A bit of light prep for when we go on to look at the convergence question:
http://www.itu.int/osg/spu/youngminds/2007/essays/ArenazaSonia.pdf

Bauer Media - useful for case studies

Bauer Media are massive and own a variety of titles across a range of media forms.

They'll be very useful for any case studies you're working on.
http://www.bauermedia.co.uk/

Here is an article on how their radio arm are using the online age:
http://www.mediaweek.co.uk/news/980430/Kiss-Magic-launch-iPod-tagging-tech/

And for how they engage with audiences, this section of their website is brilliant:
http://www.bauermedia.co.uk/Insight/

Oh, and a section devoted to bauer's use of mobile technology:
http://radio.bauermediaadvertising.com/solutions/mobile

Monday 28 November 2011

A2 Exam Question mark Scheme - TOP BAND


Level 4

How is consumer behaviour and audeince response transformed by online media in relation to the past?

Explanation / analysis / argument (16-20 marks)
Candidates adapt their learning to the specific requirements of the chosen question in excellent fashion and make connections in order to present a coherent argument. The answer offers a clear, fluent balance of media theories and knowledge of industries and texts and informed personal engagement with issues and debates.
Use of examples (16-20 marks)
Examples of contemporary texts and industry knowledge are clearly connected together in the answer. History and the future are integrated into the discussion with conviction.
Use of terminology (8-10 marks)
Throughout the answer, material presented is informed by media theory and the command of the appropriate conceptual and theoretical language is excellent.
Complex issues have been expressed clearly and fluently using a style of writing appropriate to the complex subject matter. Sentences and paragraphs, consistently relevant, have been well structured, using appropriate technical terminology. There may be few, if any, errors of spelling, punctuation and grammar.

Tuesday 22 November 2011

Audiences and Institutions Case Studies

...and here you can find case studies on Nanny McPhee (calm yourselves. I'll brook no sarcastic comments about Nanny McPhee - it is one of my wife's favourite films. Gives you an insight into her derrangement, I guess), Avatar, Hot Fuzz, This is England, Paul, and The King's Speech.

http://lcasmedia.blogspot.com/2011_05_01_archive.html

Look at them - have they found out anything about their films that you could find out about yours?

The King's Speech - Audiences and Institutions

A really useful case study on aspects of 'The King's Speech' for the Audiences and Institutions question (Section B).

http://eleanorwatsonlcmedia.blogspot.com/2011/05/case-study-kings-speech.html

Editing

Audiences and Institutions Revision


Yep, I know we've only just begun to look at this but contained n this document is a very comprehensive selection of almost everything you may need to know for Section B of the exam. If you can say by the end of the academic year that you know all of this for two films you are set to be abloe to get an A. We will cover all of this over the year, but I'm putting this up now to aid you in your independent study.

Audiences and Institutions - Key Terms

A really useful set of definitions and examples from the good people at asanda2mediablogspot.

Click me to see

Monday 14 November 2011

MONDAY COVER WORK

The guardian case study example
View more presentations from Liz Davies

Read this presentation on newspapers in the online age and write a summary of all the key ideas. Use the hyperlinks to develop your ideas further.

Post findings to your blog under title - 'Newspapers in the Online Age'.

Then look at the Cadbury's case study here. Read it, summarise it and then post your findings to your blog under a heading of your choice.

HOMEWORK: Choose a (music / television / film / magazine / newspaper / radio) media institution of your choice and produce a case study on how the institution has responded to the online age. Case study as a prezi / powerpoint / video with a brief write up to accompany it. Posted to your blog by next Monday.

Friday 11 November 2011

WATCH ME I AM REALLY USEFUL

A2 candidates - here is a video going through some of the many impacts of the online age.
AS candidates - here is useful video for thinking about issues reaised for the film industry in the modern world as well as useful prep for next year.



Great video.

Audiences and Institutions

Just getting my (*cough* blatantly not mine) resources up ready for Thursday's lesson in a bout of organisation of worryingly effective proportions.

Thursday 10 November 2011

Kick Ass



Can be considered a British film owing to writer, funding and production team.


Online Impact on Televison

Today I seem to be overly obsessed with Alan Partridge. But he is a fantastic example of how the online age has impacted on the TV industry.

Now, it will say you have to be 18. Under the terms of the spec we are actually covered in showing you material that is, maybe, a certificate too high in order for you to access enough breadth of material. However, if YOU choose to access this and lie about your age I accept no responsibility. Or are you all 18 A2-ers. If so, this is more aimed at my AS, ahem, 'crew'.

Oh, one more Alan Partridge post:


AS PUPIL VITAL Pearl and Dean



Ready to help further with your research look here http://business.pearlanddean.com/

If you can learn everything on this website you're set to get a blinking beautiful score for Section B of the exam if certain questions come up. AS PUPIL VITAL READING

Representation of Ethnicity Homework

DUE 21st November.

How is ethnicity represented in this extract from Hotel Babylon?



AS an essay response, not a blog post please!

Either spend 45 minutes on this OR take as long as you need. Just make sure you write on the top if you do it in 45 minutes.

Monday 7 November 2011

Chief Examiner's Presentation on aiming for 100% coursework marks.

Clay Shirkey Again - loads of really useful stuff

Includes analysis, a transcript, an audiio file and a video file:
http://www.niemanlab.org/2009/09/clay-shirky-let-a-thousand-flowers-bloom-to-replace-newspapers-dont-build-a-paywall-around-a-public-good/

Good old Guardian:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2010/jul/05/clay-shirky-internet-television-newspapers

Criticisms and counterarguments thereof:
http://www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/2009/12/the-net-advantage/

You can tell why this one's interesting just by looking at the web title:
http://socialreporter.com/?p=502


Twitter Feeds

I have put two RSS feeds in to Wesch and Shirkey's Twitter feeds in the right hand list of gadgets. Immensely useful for Year 13, a useful grounding for Year 12 thinking about next year.

Web 3.0

http://computer.howstuffworks.com/web-30.htm




http://webtrends.about.com/od/web20/a/what-is-web-30.htm

http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/web_30_when_web_sites_become_web_services.php

Audience

http://www.aber.ac.uk/media/Students/pph9701.html

Useful undergraduate piece of importantce of audience focus in Media Studies.

Clay Shirkey - Social Media

"http://rypple.com/blog/2010/07/clay-shirky-how-social-media-can-make-history/"></

Wednesday 2 November 2011

Web 2.0

1) Who is Michael Wesch?
2) What is he famous for?
3) What IS Web 2.0?
4) How has it impacted on how we relate to others?
5) Why is this significant for media studies?
6) How has Web2.0 impacted on a media institution or media form of your choice?
7) What does it hold for us in the future?

Useful for all questions

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gmP4nk0EOE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gmP4nk0EOE

http://petesmediablog.blogspot.com/2009/11/anthropology-of-web.html#!/2009/11/anthropology-of-web.html

http://tombeardshaw.com/mike-wesch-on-social-media-education-and-youtube/

Question 3 USeful links

href="http://oreilly.com/web2/archive/what-is-web-20.html"
href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web_2.0"
href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0LzQIUANnHc"



Particularly useful for question 7
- Michale Wesch's 'Whatever' future


http://aljean.wordpress.com/2009/07/18/on-michael-weschs-whatever/

Tuesday 1 November 2011

Media in the Online Age

A very interesting article about the inmpact of online technologies on the music industry - with criticism of Apple and illegal downloading.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2011/oct/31/apple-digital-vampire-pete-townshend?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+theguardian%2Fmedia%2Frss+%28Media%29

Really Useful Blog For All

It is here.
It is good.
Read it.
Think about it.
Maybe post something independently about something you read on it.

Vladimir Propp and his 31 Functions




Propp extended the Russian Formalist study of language to his analysis of folk tales. He broke down the tales into the smallest possible units, which he called narratemes, or narrative functions, necessary for the narrative to exist. Each narrateme is an event that drives the narrative forward, possibly taking it in a different direction. Not all of these functions appear in every story, but they always appear in this order.

Propp's Narrative Functions

These 31 functions are as follows:
1. A member of a family leaves home (the hero is introduced as a unique person within the tribe, whose needs may not be met by remaining)
2.An interdiction (a command NOT to do something e.g.'don't go there', 'go to this place'), is addressed to the hero;
3. The hero ignores the interdiction
4. The villain appears and (either villain tries to find the children/jewels etc; or intended victim encounters the villain);
5. The villain gains information about the victim;
6. The villain attempts to deceive the victim to take possession of victim or victim's belongings (trickery; villain disguised, tries to win confidence of victim);
7.The victim is fooled by the villain, unwittingly helps the enemy;
8,Villain causes harm/injury to family/tribe member (by abduction, theft of magical agent, spoiling crops, plunders in other forms, causes a disappearance, expels someone, casts spell on someone, substitutes child etc, commits murder, imprisons/detains someone, threatens forced marriage, provides nightly torments); Alternatively, a member of family lacks something or desires something (magical potion etc);
9. Misfortune or lack is made known, (hero is dispatched, hears call for help etc/ alternative is that victimised hero is sent away, freed from imprisonment);
10. Seeker agrees to, or decides upon counter-action;
11. Hero leaves home;
12. Hero is tested, interrogated, attacked etc, preparing the way for his/her receiving magical agent or helper (donor);
13. Hero reacts to actions of future donor (withstands/fails the test, frees captive, reconciles disputants, performs service, uses adversary's powers against them);
14. Hero acquires use of a magical agent (it's directly transferred, located, purchased, prepared, spontaneously appears, is eaten/drunk, or offered by other characters);
15. Hero is transferred, delivered or led to whereabouts of an object of the search;
16. Hero and villain join in direct combat;
17. Hero is branded (wounded/marked, receives ring or scarf);
18. Villain is defeated (killed in combat, defeated in contest, killed while asleep, banished);
19. Initial misfortune or lack is resolved (object of search distributed, spell broken, slain person revived, captive freed);
20. Hero returns;
21. Hero is pursued (pursuer tries to kill, eat, undermine the hero);
22. Hero is rescued from pursuit (obstacles delay pursuer, hero hides or is hidden, hero transforms unrecognisably, hero saved from attempt on his/her life);
23. Hero unrecognised, arrives home or in another country;
24. False hero presents unfounded claims;
25. Difficult task proposed to the hero (trial by ordeal, riddles, test of strength/endurance, other tasks);
26. Task is resolved;
27. Hero is recognised (by mark, brand, or thing given to him/her);
28. False hero or villain is exposed;
29.Hero is given a new appearance (is made whole, handsome, new garments etc);
30. Villain is punished;
31. Hero marries and ascends the throne (is rewarded/promoted).
Although the plot is driven by the actions and choices of the hero (the protagonist), these narrative functions are spread between the main characters. Propp also defined these character categories:
  • the villain, who struggles with the hero (formally known as the antagonist);
  • the donor;
  • the helper;
  • the Princess, a sought-for person (and/or her father), who exists as a goal and often recognizes and marries hero and/or punishes villain;
  • the dispatcher;
  • the hero, who departs on a search (seeker-hero), reacts to the donor and weds; and
  • the false hero (or antihero or usurper), who claims to be the hero, often seeking and reacting like a real hero (ie by trying to marry the princess).

Monday 31 October 2011

Newspapers in the Online Age

An interesting blog on newspapers in the online age.

http://dangillmor.typepad.com/dan_gillmor_on_grassroots/2005/05/hyperlocal_and_.html

Read independently, maybe you'll be inspired by something to make an independent post on something about media in the online age.

Wednesday 19 October 2011

Monday 17 October 2011

How to...make my blog even better...

The exam board will be looking for blogs to be dynamic and using a range of media technologies. Click in to the new post option and have a look at the options, play around with them.

You can add links with the 'link' function, images with the'insert image' function, and video with 'insert a video'.

If you want to embed word documents I'd suggest setting yourself up a Scribd account and uploading your work there and then embedding it from there into your blog using the embed code. You can do the same with presentations by sett5ing yourself up a slideshare account and doing the same thing.

And, really, check out http://prezi.com/. It is free and you can make really interesting presentations and embed them in to your blogs quite easily.




PREZI RULES
Any questions, post a comment. All answers will be given as soon as I have ahcance to catch my breath (usually within 72 hours).

Good morning, where is your homework?

Right, so, having got you going on your Sennett/Gauntlett work I can now make sure you are all fully aware on what work there is left to do.

TASKS WHICH SHOULD HAVE BEEN COMPLETED /WILL BE COMPLETED ON YOUR BLOGS

1a) Homework set today part one - post your media in the online age term (prosumer etc) revision homeowrk to your blog. Apologies, this was my fault.

1b) Post your findings on Sennett's 'Craftsman' theory and 'Gauntlett's Media Studies 2.0' theory. (see blogpost here)

2) Ongoing expectation - you need to visit and comment on each others' blogs - especially those of the other members of your coursework group. You have loads of planning to do to be able to film your videos so do some of it online so we (and the examiner) can see what you'd been thinking about as you got ready to start filming.

3) Conventions of your chosen genre - detailed post with images and videos. Was due today. Few have been done. SORT IT BY THURSDAY (see blogpost here)!

4) Long Tail - see above. SORT IT BY THURSDAY (see blogpost here)!

5) Your 9 pre-production questions (see blogpost here) need sorting by end of half term holidays / very soon after. Some of you have already started these - good on you!

6) Holidays online write up (useful as an introduction to the level of detail you can go in to and also for a grounding in the way the UK consumer uses online platforms which you can then extrapolate to apply to media studies, potentially). Due as blogpost 1st November.

7) Independent posting - when you read something you find interesting, post a link to it and add your own words explaining what you found interesting / why it is important / analyse it / any pertinent form of writing based on your post.

Sennett and Gauntlett

Today's tasks one and two for those who did not get to finish:

TASK ONE:
Research, understand and write about in the form of a blog post the Craftsman theory by Richard Sennett. The link below take you to a review of one of his books and is a useful starting point. You may find you only need this one link as it is very thorough; feel free, however, to do further research if it raises any questions or you just want more detail.
TASK TWO:
Research, understand and write about in the form of a blog post about David Gauntlett’s Media Studies 2.0 theory. This is useful, potentially, for both Section A (your own development as a media student) and Section B (media in the online age).
a)      In your own words, what were the seven characteristics of Media Studies 1.0?
b)      Read ‘History and Emergence…’ section. EXT: Sum up this section in a couple of paragraphs.
c)       Read William Merrin’s piece on Media Studies 2.0 (http://mediastudies2point0.blogspot.com/) . Write an explanation of AT LEAST 5 problems faced in a post-broadcast world.
Media Studies 2.0 – David Gauntlett  http://www.theory.org.uk/mediastudies2.htm

Digital Subscription Success - The Times

The Times and the success of digital subscription

Audiences and Institutions - Film Case Study

The A2 and AS media blog takes you through the exam and case study preparation with useful guidelines.

specimen paper for Section B.

Media in the Online Age

A link to a YouTube chanel with the whole series on the digital revolution for your delectation.

Epic 2015 - a video covering the history of the impact of online technology and predicting the future.

Friday 14 October 2011

Long Tail

Another useful article on the long tail to help focus your thoughts on how it impacts on media production is here.

Wednesday 12 October 2011

Mapping Social Media / The Long Tail / Homework

An interesting post from xkcd equating social media use with geographical land mass. I particularly enjoyed the idea of the 'Sea of Flame' and the tiny country of 'World of Warcraft'. Incidentally, you may want to investigate further 'Blizzcon' and how Blizzard Entertainment have used online media to promote, host and allow remote access to a traditionally 'meatspace' event. How have they exploited the online nature of their clientele?



And if your interested in seeing more of the case studies / companies work from today's 4th period, click here.

HOMEWORK
a) For those of you have yet to post their 'Long Tail' findings you need to get that posted by next Monday. The three prompts were: what is the long tail? What can it be used for? Why is it important for the media / in the online age? You might want to check out the numerous case studies of Amazon's marketing of Touching the Void to help.

b) EVERYONE in addition to the nine pre-production projects read this pdf and answer the following question - How do people in the UK use online sources to search for holdiays? Due: as blogpost by 1st November. The pdf is 37 pages long so there is alot of information in there so I think a minimum of 1000 words is needed to have a fair stab at answering this fully. This is stuff you can use in Section B potentilly, so your efforts may well be rewarded come exam time when a question pops up and you can go 'oh, all that stuff I learnt about holdiays!'

BUT I DON'T KNOW HOW TO STRUCTURE IT! Look at the contents page - that might help.

Remember the exam board are looking for your blogs to be dynamic so, if you can, start embedding links / videos / presentations / prezis to create vibrant and exciting blogs.

Monday 10 October 2011

Media in the Online Age

http://www.scoop.it/t/social-media-for-alls/p/527802769/echo-digital-age-allows-for-new-types-of-journalism

Possibly useful. Lots of different areas covered. Get independent learning!

DNA films case study

http://bromsgroveg322b.blogspot.com/2010/05/case-studies-2-dna-films.html

Exemplar material for AS students on the case studies for Section B. A useful starting point.

Pop Video analysis post for the pop group

http://asanda2mediastudies.blogspot.com/2011/10/katy-perrys-hot-and-cold-music-video.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FFiGlR+%28AS+and+A2+Media+Studies%29

Mac 5 and 6 - you might find this especially useful.

Youtube Movie Rental

http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2011/oct/07/youtube-online-movie-rental-service?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+theguardian%2Fmedia%2Frss+%28Media%29

To make sure noone has an excuse to miss it, here is the link to the Guardian article (and from there on to Neilsen's web data site) on YouTube's movie rental service. Perfect for Section B of your exam - media in the online age, maybe? Remember, this is a vast topic, I can't hope to teach you everything about it, so you will need to be becoming independent learners (not just because you'll get better marks if you write something that doesn't sound like I've just told you what to write) ready for university.

Independence. Independence. Independence. Makes your answers better, makes your grades better, makes you better.

Pre-production homework

Before you start shooting you will need to have EACH posted 9 individual pieces to your own blogs. Obviously, some of the work may be shared (you don't all have to have done an individual storyboard, you can each post your group's storyboard, for example) but all need to have these 9 posts to be able to show the examiner you have engaged in the pre-production process.

This may also give you something to write about inSection A of your A2 exam if you learn new or develop existing skills.

So, the 9 posts you need to make before shooting starts are:

1) Your shooting schedule and an explanation of how / why you made the decisions you did about filming.

2) A post outlining the roles and responsibilities of each member of the group.

3) A post of images, videos and links to online content which have inspired you in creating the look of your music video. Include some text explaining how each has inspired you and how you envisage it being included/represented/contributing to your video. It doesn't matter if it doesn't in the end, but if you've been inspired then tell us why!  For instance I've just noticed Marissa is looking at the website of someone called John Perez - you can write about him if you wish.

4) Photos of the locations you will use and an accompanying explanation of why you made the choices you did. EXTENSION: what issues do you have to consider in terms of cinematography when filming in each of these locations?

5) Answer these questions where relevant to your music video:
a. What is the video’s theme?
b. What are its mood progressions?
c. What kind of location should each sequence have?
d. What statement should each location make towards the video’s premise?
e. How should each set be lit?
f. What kind of props go with the set?
g. What kind of belongings do the characters keep around them?
h. What kind of clothes does each character wear and what do the clothes
tell us?
i. What colour palette and progression would promote the video’s thematic
development?

6) Post images of the costumes and props you intend to use, accompanied by an explanation of the reasons for your choices.

7) Shooting script questions:

a. What do you need to show to establish environment?
b. When do you show establishing info?
c. When do characters move and how to show movement (follow
character / make shot wider / let character leave frame / show
another character’s eyeline change)
d. If relevant, at each significant moment, whose POV are we sharing - does POV
shift? When / how?
e. What are significant eyelines and when do they change?
f. When / why does the camera move?
g. How can you use composition to show relationships / develop narrative (framing, focal
length, arrangement of characters, etc)?
h. What kind of coverage do you need (critical moments should have
more coverage / more editing options)?

8) Post the floor plans /the final shooting script / final storyboard.

9) Post a list of health and safety issues you have identified and give details about what steps you have taken to minimise these / address them / keep yourselves safe.

No cameras will be handed out until I've seen the whole group have got their blog up to date.

http://people.ucsc.edu/~ilusztig/172/handouts/preproduction.pdf will help you.

Might be useful for you too http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=latymer+media+music+videos&aq=f - Latymer school's Media youtube site.

75% Relevant - Pre production planning pointers.

http://people.ucsc.edu/~ilusztig/172/handouts/preproduction.pdf

Now, you can discount references to auditions and making audition flyers etc but this is a very useful link to everything you need to have covered before you start filming.

Monday 3 October 2011

Initial Thoughts on Genre Convention

TASK: Write an essay for publication on your blog entitled 'The Conventions of Genre: (your chosen genre here)'

ESSAY PLAN:
Introduction
Cinematography
Lighting
Editing
Mise-en-scene
Representation
Form
Cultural references and intertextuality
Social values
Conclusion.

You will need to refer to at least two different examples from your chosen genre in each section to be able to show these are conventions.

When you post your essay on your blog you will also need to include examples of the music videos to which you are referring - either as embedded videos from YouTube/Vevo or as still screenshots.

To imprt a video click on the 'insert a video' icon (looks like a clapperboard) in the toolbar above where you are typing and follwo the instructions.

To insert an image click on ther 'insert image' icon (to the left of the video function, looks like a landscape painting) and follow the instructions.

DUE DATE: Your essay must be posted to your blog by MONDAY 17TH OCTOBER.

Thursday 29 September 2011

Representation

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b015b07f/River_City_27_09_2011/

Represetnation of gender question. DUE NEXT THURSDAY (yes, same day as your presentations - welcome to AS Level work loads).

Try not to watch the link too many times if you fancy giving yourself more of a challenge.

Representation presentation groups for THURSDAY presentation:
Age - Oliver and co
Gender - Umut and co
Sexuality - Harrys and co
Class and Social Status - Stevie and co
Regional Identity - Jess and co
Disability / Ability - Ben and co

Choose one or a range of BRITISH television dramas and present an analysis of how your given topic is represented. It will last at least ten minutes and will include video clips or still images. Please note: a ten minute video clip will not suffice - you want to find specific examples which illustrate your points. Still images are probably easier to deal with.

Monday 26 September 2011

FIlm Case Study

Year 12. For Part B of the exam you will have to undertake a case study of how British and Hollywood films are  produced, marketed and exchanged.

It is vital that everyone conducts independent research as the chief examiner says there is a direct link between centres teaching specific films and lower attainment. Obviously I'll give you lessons on what to do but you'll then be taking the ideas and applying them to your own case studies.

It'll all make sense soon.

For those of you who visit this blog regularly, here is a link to a new British independent movie which will be in the news a lot in the coming months which you might want to use as one of your case study films.

http://www.blackpondfilm.com/
http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2011/sep/25/chris-langham-interview

No need to start researching it yet (haven't told you what you need to find out yet!) but worthwhile starting to think about British films.

Lots of interesting camera use. Including SNORRICAM!

A video with lots of interesting camera techniques.
Love the slightly rickety use of snorricam in places.
One of my dad's requested funeral songs. This is for whilst he is being cremated.
A modern techno/jazz fusion piece by Squarepusher. For musicians amongst you, he plays the bass part just as you hear it then adds the beats.

And the Presidents of the USA, Lump. Just because I can. And with all this Nirvana revivalism in the air I'm revisiting everything that reminds me of being 13.

Monday 19 September 2011

 
Feature / Convention
To consider…
Conventional portrayal / use in your genre?Why?
How is it portrayed / used in a specific example?
Conforms to or subverts conventions?
How and why?
Cinematography
Use of the camera – movement, angle, shot type.
AT LEAST 3 EGS
Lighting
How video is lit.
Editing
Transition between shots and post-production alterations.
AT LEAST 2 POINTS
Mise-en-scene
Setting, costume, props etc.
AT LEAST 3 POINTS
Representation…
…of gender / sexuality / ethnicity / class / status.
OF AT LEAST ONE GROUP
Cultural references
What does it say about society? What values does it impart? What cultural knowledge is required to interpret the video?
Form
Performance / narrative/ conceptual?
Viewer attention
How is the audience positioned and why?

VIDEO ANALYSIS CHART

Pciture of slide from today

A2 Videos





Sunday 11 September 2011

History of good music videos

Useful. An entirely subjective list of the best music videos ever is here. It might give you a good starting point to look at how music videos have changed over the years.

Some videos by the almighty Pavement.