Audience Research

Take to Tumblr, take to Twitter, grab your cameras, inundate people with questionnaires...find out all you can.

DON'T JUST GO WITH THESE IDEAS - USE YOUR OWN TOO.

Data generated by, but not blogged about (that'll come later), 28TH JUNE.

AUDIENCES

DEMOGRAPHICS

·         Age

·         Gender

·         Ethnicity

·         Education

·         Occupation

·         Marital status

·         UK Tribe on YouTube UK Tribes, the website, fiind your tribe quiz is here*.

·         Audience category –mainstreamer / aspirer etc.

PSYCHOGRAPHICS

·         Habits

·         Interests

·         Favourite music video of all time and why?

(MORE SPECIFIC MUSIC VIDEO STUFF)

CONSUMPTION

·         How? – technological proliferation, online exhibition, TV.

·         Where – home / school / socially / outside

·         Why do they consume it in this way?

·         Amount – how long do they spend watching music videos?

·         Institutions used (and find out about the institution)

ENGAGEMENT – IN THEIR PREFERRED GENRE WHAT DO THEY…

·         Prefer – genre, sub-genre, artists, (narrative/performance/conceptual), prominence of actual artist, SFX, mode of address (serious / tongue in cheek etc), specific directors that they feel produce good videos

·         Expect – A good track, entertained / interesting (gratification theory), cinematography, tone / atmosphere matches, editing for pace, fit conventions of the genre of music video, matching of lyrics to content, synchronicity, representation, costume, lighting, dance routines,  colour… (many more)

·         Find annoying – (likely to be informed by all the above)

WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY?

Fanboyisms.


* I'm a...

Media in the Online Age

"The impact of the internet on the media is revolutionary." Discuss.

The mark scheme starts on page 24 (actually, 25)

Homework reminders:

The application of narrative theory to your music video section A reponse is due 28th May
The answer to the question above is due 30th May.

Ta da

A little early but still concerning

So your 'Music in the Online Age' presentations are due in p3 tomorrow on your blogs. At the moment I can see 4. One of which is on 'Media in the Online Age' rather than 'Music in the Online Age' but that might just be an extra piece of independent thinking so am not worrying too much yet. The ones I have seen are very promising. Using your research you'll be 'we-thinking' tomorrow for an hour with reference to the essays you did and collaboratively planning an essay response which you'll then...yep...have an hour to write it in.

Because I'm nice.

Which leaves 7 (possibly 8) unaccounted for. I'm sure they'll all be present and correct by 11:05 tomorrow morning, of course. Just a gentle nudge if yours isn't up yet and you've forgotten about it. I'll be expecting to see 11 completely different ones; really hope there hasn't been too much group work going on. Because sometimes 'group work' turns into 'one person did it, then I copied the embed code' really easily.

See you in Room 81a (the 6th form computer suite*), p3.

*Yes, I do keep mentioning it, as that has now been explicitly stated 3 times. It'll show me who reads the blog regularly.

The Moderators Are Coming...

The moderators will be around over the next couple of months looking at your blogs. Please continue to use your blogs for tasks I set but,  for the new AS into A2 group, be prepared to be asked shift some music video R&P posts (I'll explain and model it, don't fret).

It is imperative that you don't add to or delete any of your research and planning /evaluation /ancillary posts.

Your posts should now be labelled and there should be a label gadget added for their ease of navigation but it is vital you don't touch anything you've already posted which is used for assessment. The time has been up a couple of weeks, I won't have marked any changes made after the date we agreed and it'll just get confusing which will mean the moderators will have to contact me potentially to work out what is what. And you don't want that because it'll create a very bad impression. Especially if I have to say it was added or altered after my final deadline. No-one has (well a couple of you have, but only very minor cosmetic changes where your images had got squeezed when you uploaded them and had covered some text or if you had already let me know your house had burnt down / cat had eaten your computer and I was aware of a delay past my ultimate deadline), but just in case anyone has a sudden flash of inspiration - too late.

DO NOT MAKE ANY MORE CHANGES TO ANYTHING YOU HAVE ALREADY POSTED WHICH IS USED FOR COURSEWORK ASSESSMENT.

'cos I'll (and maybe even you'll) look like an utter plum.

Here is a picture of a plum, for reference:

A2, see you tomorrow in Room 81a.

New Music Video A2 Group

Time to start thinking about what tracks you might be using for your coursework.

Check out this post for some useful sites getting you to start thinking about it. Will anyone venture into the minds of The Good Wife?



More discussion about legalities et al later.

A2 ROOM CHANGE

YEAR 13 Room change for Wednesday 23rd May. 81a (6th form computer room) as Room 5 is being used for a controlled assessment.

This'll sort out who is regularly reading the blog and who isn't, won't it? :)

AS Tuesdays

Just to remind you that I am not expecting you in Room 55 on the Tuesday lessons up to half term but that if you want to use that time to do some editing of your animated storyboard / one minute extract (you'll do another later on which you'll get to choose) then just come and grab the CAM room keys off of me.

Apply theories of narrative to your music video.

DUE IN MONDAY 28TH IN HARD COPY (NOT AS A BLOG POST)


Spend as long as you need on this answer. In the exam you'll have 30 minutes but it is vital I see your best, most accurate work as then it is just a case of plugging holes and getting the timings right rather than seeing what you can do in 30 mins. We'll do timed ones later!

The question is: Apply theories of narrative to your music video.
The marks: Out of 25

Things to remeber / consider including:

Technical codes
Written / Verbal codes
Symbolic codes
Structure
Character
Conflict

Key theorists to consider:

Todorv
Propp
Saussure
Derrida
Levi-Strauss
Barthes

Remeber:
Use the explanation, argument, analysis / examples / terminology forumla to shape a detailed answer.

Section 1 Exam

Over
view - note: replace references to what their candidtaes did with 'music video' and what you did at AS

Another overview - exclude slides 12, 14 - 21

Useful for theorists, as always - ignore anything that is about magazines etc

Todorov's Narrative theory

Sourcing Your Coursework Track

You will, within the next two months, be selecting your tracks to use for coursework. Now is a great time to start thinking about genre and track. Don't decide yet, there'll be audience research to conduct first, but it would be a good idea to start finding tracks from a range of genres you might want to do. A good way to do this, and open yourselves up to a very interested audience, is to source music with a creative commons licence. Below are some good websites for you to start your research. Images are links.

CAVEAT: There will be some utter junk on these sites too. 

SITES WITH CONTENT WITH CREATIVE COMMONS LICENCES

 THE FREE MUSIC ARCHIVE

LAST FM
(link to specifically CC content)

SOUNDCLOUD

JAMENDO

MAGNATUNES

BEATPICK

INTERNET ARCHIVE

I'm also in the process of getting responses from unsigned artists to let me know if they're happy, in principle, for you to use them. You may, of course, seek permission from any artist or record company asking to use their track stating explicitly it is for educational purposes.

SITES WITH ARTISTS YOU COULD APPROACH AND ASK TO USE

THE UNSIGNED BAND REVIEW

UNSIGNED.COM

THE UNSIGNED BAND WEB

OVERPLAY.COM

ARTISTS WHO HAVE ALREADY GIVEN US PERMISSION

THE GOODWIFE (on Soundcloud)

   

THE GOOD WIFE (on Myspace)

welcome anyone brave enough to try and make a music video out of their stuff.

(lyrics, content and style challenging but nowhere near as bad as you can hear on the radio).

CIRCUS ACT

(intelligent post-hardcore punk. Warning, if you use their cover version of 'Message in a Bottle' be prepared to get sued by Sting or, at least, forced to buy a CD of him singing madrigals).

AS into A2 Research and Planning Begins!

The full details of both of the tasks and the actual tracks and the lyrics can be found here.

We can use these tasks as part of your evidence base for R&P at A2.

The breakdown of the tasks is as follows:

TASK ONE - The individual storyboard and animatic of the track with a brand new band, track title, album title DUE ON BLOG JUNE 19TH

Track One - We Are Scientists - Harry M
Track Two - Interpol - Beritan
Track Three - A Perfect Circle - Joe A
Track Four - Terrorvision - Ben A
Track Five - Portishead - Jenay F
Track Six - Mansun - Aimee F
Track Seven - The Divine Comedy - Jacob B
Track Eight - The National - Umut N
Track Nine - Mr Scruff - Sarah B
Track Ten - The Mystery Jets - Hannah W
Track Eleven - Midfield General - Jess F
Track Twelve - Mclusky - Luke W

TASK TWO - ONE MINUTE EXTRACT - In your group (or by yourself if that is how you decided to go) use the track you bid for (or if you weren't here, the track you have been given) and recreate as faithfully and accurately shot-for-shot a minute extract. It can be any continuous minute of footage from the original promo, you don't have to go from the very start. If you need to feel free to fudge it and get creative. I'm interested in your problem solving here. DUE ON BLOGS JUNE 26TH

Ok Go - A Million Ways - Sarah B and Hannah W
Nirvana - In Bloom - Jess F
Daphne and Celeste - Oooh, Stick You - Ben A and Jacob B
Future of the Left - Sheena is a T-Shirt Salesman - Harry
White Town - Your Woman - Beritan T and Jenay F
FatBoySlim - Weapon of Choice - Aimee B and Luke W
REM - Stand - Umut and Joe

And a note on lessons:

THURSDAY 17TH MAY (today) - period 5 only.
TUESDAY 22ND MAY - CAM room for editing if you need it or home revision for exams
THURSDAY 24TH MAY - period 5 only. Period 6 home revision or CAM room.
TUESDAY 29TH MAY - CAM room for editing if you need it or home revision for exams
THURSDAY 31STMAY - period 5 only. Period 6 home revision or CAM room.

The first week back will be in the CAM room on 12th and 14th of June for final editing of your one minute extracts and storyboard anima. No other class time will be offered. So you need to be ORGANISED with your filming and editing. Don't leave it to the last minute. These are your first pieces of research and planning evidence for A2. Make them shiny.

Music in the Online Age

The following does not replace the need for independent thought or research. it is there to support. And, obviously, not everything in the links below is designed specifically to answer the A2 question, but all links do contain useful information which you can use.

iTunes
History of iTunes (in need of updating)
Some more on iTunes
The Impact of Online on the Music Industry (yes it says you have to pay for the whole thing but if you scroll down you'll find you get a few excerpts gratis) 
Napster
A candidate from 2009's thought son Spotify (brief)
A candidate from 2011's thoughts on HMV

Obviously expecting much more detail, much more interactivity and generally more Awesome from you that the last two posts which obviously were introductory research (some good ideas there) so they're good starting points.

Blog Tidied

With the coursework component complete for all and the AS group having just fininshed their exam, I have reverted to draft all the related posts. All that is remaining are posts on Media in the Online Age and a few on music videos.

Print Platforms in the Online Age

Accountancy Age Migrates

Incisive Media

TV in the online age

Television on the online age blog

COVER - YEAR 13

Good morning.

Working on your blogs has killed me. Slight exaggeration, but the blooming mass of pills they've got me on to fix me has pole-axed my immune system and am currently very, very phlegmy. It is not pleasant.

But fear not, for here is the cover work! Hooray!

It builds on your existing knowledge and will form a part of the following lesson on week Wednesday (23rd May).

Yes, you are expected in.

PART ONE


Blog admin Now is your chance to go through your blog and check:

1) All the labels you'd want are there and you've got a Labels gadget on your blog (go Dashboard --> Design --> Add Gadget --> Labels);
2) Every title of every post is completely clear;
3) Delete any random posts which are blank or just a couple of words becuase you never actually got around to finishing them.

PART TWO

Create a post, as clearly and effectively laid out as you can, summing up what you have done (imagine it is the first post the moderator will see) in terms of research, coursework and evaluation.  Just a paragraph.

The post should also contain:

1. An explanation of what you have done this year for your coursework;
2. Hyperlinks (create them in the posting template using the Link button) taking people to all the content you have labelled as 'Research and Planning' , 'Evaluation' and 'Ancillary' as well as your YouTube channel.

PART THREE AND HOMEWORK

Using the ideas here as a STARTING point create your own detailed presentation on MUSIC in the online age. This must be completed for WEDNESDAY 23RD MAY. Your presentation should include:

• Images
• Videos
• Clear and detailed reference to AT LEAST three different music industry institutions;
• How have online media developed? (change from the past)
• What has been the impact of the internet on media production? (does it allow more people to produce their own media? what effect has it had on mainstream media?)
• How is consumer behaviour and audience response transformed by online media, in relation to the past? (audiences and the difference the internet has made)
• To what extent has convergence transformed the media? (technology's impact- mobile devices, tv online, etc)
• Contain loads of technical terms such as interactivity and connectivity to, literally, name but two;
• Include clear and detailed reference to AT LEAST two theorists;
• The past;
• The present; and
• The future.

Don't just sit there. Get cracking. Also, for extra ideas, if you go on to my blog and use the label gadget to filter all the posts down to just the ones I have labelled 'Media in the Online Age' you should get quite a bit of material there to help you.

Media In The Online Age - Music Industry on Prezi

Jess' prezi embedded

Initial Audience - Coursework on Prezi

Representation Revision Part One - Practice Questions

How is (insert key word here) represented in this extract?

AGE


GENDER
 

ETHNICITY
 


SEXUALITY
 

  DISABILITY

  REGIONAL IDENTITY

  CLASS AND SOCIAL STATUS

 Yep, that last one is the question and extract I managed to predict last year. You never know, I may continue the trend :)

For 35 representation extracts, click here.

AS Audiences and Institutions

http://industry.bfi.org.uk/media/pdf/7/j/Avids_report.pdf

AS Revision Activities

Aside form using everything on this blog, repeatedly, you mean? And the Audiences and Institutions pack?

Okay...

REPRESENTATION:

Choose a short extract from a recent British TV drama and write an essay analysing the rpepresentation of one of the following groups of your choic with reference to:

• cinemtaography;
• editing;
• sound;
• mise-en-scene

Remeber to refer to theorists and theoretical language as well, and don't waste time on a flowery introduction.

Pete, the Chief Examiner, says introductions don't often afford candidates many opportunities for marks so feel free to omit an introduction if you so choose. HOWEVER, I have seen some great introductions in the past where candidates have managed to establish a clear focus and provide a theoretical grounding to their answer in just a few sentences and gone on to absolutely storm it.

Some candidates also find an introduction helps them get their ideas in order. Up to you. Whatever works for you as individuals. This spec is all about YOU and finding the best ways for YOU to express yourselves. It is one of the reasons OCR are so popular and respected. It is a really good spec.

AUDIENCES AND INSTITUTIONS:

Use the past papers and try to answer the questions.
Create mind maps for all the planned answers you've got.
Go over your plans.
Use everything with the label audiences and institutions on this blog.
have a look at the Wikipedia entry for your chosen case studeis - how could you improve it? What information do YOU now that they haven't included in the Wiki entry. (WARNING: if you also go with 'what is on Wikipedia I didn;t know', be prepared to have some of it turn out to be palpably false).

Want to do an audiences and institutions practice question and have me mark it? Hand in to me by end of day Friday.

The end is in sight...keep going...

Obviously Year 12 are neck deep in work at the minute but if you're finding motivation a little low, why not hop over to here for a quick look at what you'll be doing the first lesson back after your Media exam? Hopefully it'll enthuse you.

Don't spend too long on it though, you'll want to be focussing on your blogs and revision.

The minute the AS exam is over we will begin the A2 course. Absolutely everything we do will be either:

• work that counts towards 20 research and planning marks
• work that counts towards 60 coursework marks
• work that counts towards 20 evaluation marks (well, no, that'll wait until the first 80 are all secured)
• work that counts towards 100 exam marks.

You really want to hit the ground running.

Obviously there'll still be exams going on so, in terms of homework, tasks will have nice long deadlines. I'll check your exam timetables with you when we return so I don't schedule anything for a day you're all in an exam or something stupid like that.

participation in an Online Age

Really interesting blog for Year 13.

That is all.

Music in the Online Age

A2 Exam

Chief Examiner Guide to Questions 1a, 1b and 2 (media in the online age)

AS EVALUATION EXTENSIONS

A few of you of have asked for additional mini tasks to incorporate into your evaluations and I have provided. I thought it might be handy if I put them all together in a blog post so everyone can see them. You don't have to do them all, you don't have to do them in the way I suggest - just here for ideas. The idea is that these will either extend your answers already OR secure your response. These can be completed however you like and can be done as additional posts to your blog so you don;t have to make changes to pieces already completed if you choose not to. These are EXTENSIONS. Obviously I'd be ecstatic if you all did all of them, but these are here for you of you feel you need them. No idea of an extension for q7.

Film Opening Evaluation Extension Tasks

1. In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

Screenshot six key moments from your finished film opening which you think help you illustrate how you have used the conventions of both your chosen genre and opening sequence conventions (3 for each). Use any photo editing software you choose to add the labels to the screen shots.

2. How does your media product represent particular social groups?

Extend your evaluation by creating a post in whatever way you choose comparing the representation of one of your characters with the representation of a similar character from a film of the same genre. How are they represented? How are your choices similar / different? How do you conform or subvert the expectations?

3. What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?

Create a mock up of what the IMDB.COM page would look like for your film. Include all the information down to the bottom of the 'Details' section.

4. Who would be the audience for your media product?

Choose a film magazine that you think would be interested in your film and:

• create the front cover, with your film the main focus;
• write a 200 -500 word review of your film (imagine it is finished, not just the opening 2-3 mins);
• explain how this publication would appeal to your audience.

You could think about age, gender, occupation, social demography, health, lifestyle etc.

5. How did you attract/address your audience?

Take a copy of your final film and add annotations or captions (see pic blow) labelling your film with examples of how each would appeal to your target audience.

MAKE SURE YOU HAVE MADE A COPY OF THIS BEFORE YOU DO THIS OTHERWISE YOU RISK HAVING PUT TEXT ALL OVER YOUR FINAL VERSION OF YOUR FILM OPENING AND NONE OF US NEED THAT STRESS. Ahem...pic below...

6.  What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing the product?
Extend your answer to include any criticisms you have of either / both the technology itself and your use of it.

Evaluation Question 7 Examples

Here are some examples of what other candidates have submitted. Remember I don't just share top band work and I am not prescriptive in saying you must include THIS and must include THIS - these are there for you to use for inspiration / checking you've included everything you want. Evaluations are at their best when the teachers take big steps back and keep asking you 'what do you think?' If you see a section and it gives you some ideas - go for it!

One thing I have noticed is that people need to be making sure they are using MEDIA LANGAUGE wherever possible. Think about the headings I gave you and use as much as you can. Good for the mark scheme, good revision ready for the exam.

Thanks to these previous candidates for their work...credit given where 'ere possible...

Looking back to your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product? on Prezi

Evaluation Activity 7: Looking back at your preliminary task (the continuity editing task), what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to full product?

View more PowerPoint from LiamJewison94

or just click this link

GOOGLING IT

Getting round the annoyance of Slideshare and related things

So, you've done your presentation, but the sharing site you've used has arbitrarily decided to remove backgrounds / delete animations / obscure your text by rearranging your slides?

There is a solution.

It is a little time consuming, but a solution nonetheless.

If you follow these steps if you encounter rpoblems with Slideshare etc, this will save you a lot aof heartache and stress.

1.Open up your PowerPoint
2. Click 'file'
3. Click on 'save and send'

4. Then click on 'create a video', as illustrated by this handy image...

5. This screen will appear:

6. Change the length of the animation duration as also shown in this image, carefully rendered and photoshopped to within an inch its life as it is. 

7. Then click on the 'create a video' button and follow the usual instructions for saving things.

8. You can then use the 'insert video' button on your blog (see picture) to upload a version of your PowerPoint which will hopefully not have received an random editing from other websites.

9. It can take a little while to upload, but it'll work.

Evaluation Question 6

Technologies you might have used:

Camera - Sony Bloggie
Final Cut Pro
Garageband
Powerpoint
iTunes
iMovie
Prezi
Camera phone
Microphone
Paint
Midi keyboard
Macs
Font websites / the net in general
Fireworks

AS Past Papers

http://www.ocr.org.uk/qualifications/type/gce/amlw/media_studies/documents/

AS Evalution Question Stems

In the evaluation the following seven questions must be addressed:

1. In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products? DUE THURSDAY 3RD MAY
2. How does your media product represent particular social groups? DUE MONDAY 7TH MAY
3. What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why? DUE MONDAY 7TH MAY
4. Who would be the audience for your media product? INDEPENDENT STUDY DUE TUESDAY 8TH MAY
5. How did you attract/address your audience? INDEPENDENT STUDY DUE 8TH MAY

6. What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product? LESSON THURSDAY 3RD MAY, DUE 10TH MAY VERY LATEST
7. Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product? LESSON THURSDAY 3RD MAY, DUE 10TH MAY VERY LATEST.

Read Pete Fraser's advice on the evaluation here.

Read Pete Fraser's quote - "What we DON'T want to see is essays on blogs or powerpoint slides. If it is so dull, you wouldn't read it, then take it from me, no-one else would either!"

Example blogs for your perusal. HEALTH WARNING - just because I have shared it with you, doesn;t mean it would get a band 4. And don;t be tempted to copy. There are loads of stories of candidates who have without thinking 'but they weren't in my coursework group, so how can I just copy it?'

WILL ADD QUESTION 2 EXAMPLES LATER

Here are the samples we looked at in class for QUESTION 3
for one example
for another example
for a third

Very excited by your ideas for how you're going to present question 3. If they are as good as they sound I think I may just have to do a little dance.