Exam Revision GCSE Media Studies KS4

2016 TOPIC: Advertising and Marketing – Film Trailers/Film Posters

Can’t get enough of trailers? Try this site: http://uk.filmtrailer.com/

STOP PRESS:  Download Media Studies Apps here (you need to login to Mediaedu with your password to activate the Apps)

 

Genres in trailers:

Try out this wonderful Prezi  https://prezi.com/embed/w208fb8jujov/? on the Comedy genre. Many thanks to the author.

More coming soon.

REPRESENTATION IS NOT AS DIFFICULT AS YOU THINK.

Some questions to ask when analysing a trailer  for Representation

 1. What is being represented?

2. How is it represented? Using what codes?

3. How is the representation made to seem ‘true’, ‘commonsense’ or ‘natural’?

4. What is foregrounded and what is backgrounded? Are there any notable absences?

5. Whose representation is it?

6. Whose interests does it reflect? How do you know?

7. At whom is this representation targeted? How do you know?

8. What does the representation mean to you?

9. What does the representation mean to others?

10. How do you account for the differences?

Trailers studied in the classroom. REMEMBER  write about one of these – only if you are asked in the question (usually Q3). REVISE your notes.

Race or Events: Race

Gender: Skyfall

Issues (disability)

Theory of Everything

Cultural Diversity/ Age (teenagers)
Attack the Block

Nation (place – Representation of Grimsby/London)  Brothers Grimsby

POSTERS is Section B

REVISE your notes especially the ones in your handout which has examples on all tasks.

 

Other stuff below will help – let it sink in.

 

 

ALWAYS USE THIS FRAMEWORK WHEN ANALYSING THE CONVENTIONS OF DIFFERENT GENRES IN TRAILERS

S =  SETTINGS            Typical places where to story is happening
T =  THEMES               Typical ideas in the text
I  =   ICONOGRAPHY  Typical objects, props, costumes and colours, etc
N =  NARRATIVE        Typical storylines (think of Todorov)
C =  CHARACTERS     Typical character types (think of Propp)

 

CAMERA SHOTS AND ANGLES

You will need to know these when you explain technical codes. In the meantime, how about visiting this site http://www.mediaknowall.com/camangles.html. Here you will get a complete understanding of camera shots and angles. Although we will be discussing them in the classroom, it is another source for revising. By the way you don’t need to know them all, your teacher will advise. Maybe these little match stick men will also help:

A bit skinny but so is Olive Oil.
Click on image to enlarge.

Try this quiz when you feel confident with the various camera shots and angles. Please be patient with this quiz because it contains advertisements. A nice little certificate at the end. More challenging tests will follow later. Click on the link below to activate quiz. Enjoy!

Camera Shots and Angles

If you were not impressed with the quiz how about trying this PPT: camera_angles_powerpoint

FILM TRAILERS

You will be expected to answer questions about  FILM TRAILERS in section A of the examination. Try and remember the framework which can be seen in the image below, and be prepared to talk about each concept/code in the examination. Organise your notes around these when watching audio/visual texts:

How’s this for a great way of memorising the framework:

Each letter in LONG CARTS represents a concept from the framework:

• LANGUAGE CODES
• ORGANISATIONS
• NARRATIVE CODES
• GENRE
• CODES AND CONVENTIONS
• AUDIENCES
• REPRESENTATIONS
• TECHNICAL CODES
• SYMBOLIC CODES

SO YOU THINK YOU ARE A GOOD MEDIA STUDENT – THEN YOU NEED TO KNOW AND USE THESE TERMS

• Archetype
• Representation
• Tracking Shot
• Establishing Shot
• Watershed
• Utopian Solutions theory
• Synergy
• Maslow: Hierarchy of Needs
• Uses and Gratifications Theory
• Theme Tune
• Scheduling
• Patriarchal
• Narrative
• Primetime
• Target Market / Audience
• Montage
• Mise en Scene
• Iconography
• Red Herring
• Flashback
• Protagonist
• Genre
• Convention
• Diegesis
• Enigma Codes
• Convergence
• Continuity Editing
• Connotation
• Audience
• Binary opposition

Obviously, there are more but these will do for now. Go on make my day and explain the definition of all of them.

USEFUL THEORIES: These are worth revising, you have used them in your CAs so you shouldn’t have a problem with them. Apply them if you get the opportunity when answering questions in section A of the exam.

 

 

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