1. Learning Objective:
How do I write an effective
MS2 report?

2. 50% of your final AS marks!
• Three pieces of linked work:
1. A pre-production reflecting research and
demonstrating planning techniques (20%)
2. A production piece, developed from the pre-
production work (40%)
3. A report of 1200 – 1600 words (40%)

3. Report (in two halves)
(1400-1600 words)
AO2: Apply knowledge and understanding when
analysing media products and processes, and
when evaluating your own practical work, to
show how meanings and responses are created.
(750 words)
AO4: Demonstrate the ability to undertake, apply
and present appropriate research. (750 words)

4. First 750 words...
AO4: Demonstrate the ability to undertake, apply and present
appropriate research.
• Outline the research for your PRE-PRODUCTION.
• Identify (with justification) your genre and target audience.
• Analyse existing media products
(similar to your intended pre-production pieces)
• Conduct audience research
• Explain how all of this research informs your pre-production.

5. Second 750 words...
AO2: Apply knowledge and understanding when analysing
media products and processes, and when evaluating your
own practical work, to show how meanings and responses
are created.
The second 750 words of your report will consist of:
• Evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of your
PRODUCTION

6. Introduction
Write down what you are going to create.
Identify its genre and target audience.
E.g.
– What is the genre?
– Who is the target audience?
– What examples of texts are you going to study?
– Can you see the possibility of offering something new
to this genre?

7. Introduction
Key Phrases: Example:
My task was to create... My task was to create the
(summarise the brief) promotional materials (posters
and DVD cover) for a new action
The... genre has a focus on... film. The action genre has a focus
(briefly discuss narrative and on violence and suspense, usually
iconography here, but you can with a central (and often male)
also refer to gender. Limit this to protagonist. This is primarily
ONE SENTENCE here.) aimed at teenagers and young
men, aged 15-40. Successful
This is primarily aimed at... examples of this genre include the
Jason Bourne franchise and the
recent Indonesian-set film The
Successful examples of this genre Raid (Redemption), which formed
include..., which formed the the basis of my research.
basis of my research.

8. Paragraph One
Explain in more detail who your target
audience is. Justify your ideas. Explore the
appeal of these texts for this audience,
referring to:
• Demographics
• The Uses and Gratifications theory
• Richard Dyer’s Utopias

9. Paragraph One
Plan: Example:
There are many reasons why There are many reasons why
.... are attracted to these young men in the C1 demographic
texts/this genre/find this are attracted to this genre. Firstly,
genre appealing. if we consider the text’s Uses and
Gratifications (Blumler & Katz,
Firstly, if we consider the 1974), we could see that young
text’s Uses and men are more likely to find models
Gratifications... for behaviour in the powerful and
resourceful male protagonist,
Secondly... usually found in these films.
Secondly, they may be gratified by
As well as this, the genre may escaping into the action-packed
also offer audiences a sense narratives. As well as this, these
of... (Richard Dyer) films offer a sense of intensity and
energy that men often crave, but
find lacking in their daily lives
(Dyer, 1992).

10. Paragraph Two
Explore the genre of your text. What
features do they share? What is the
iconography? What about the style? Mode
of address? Mise-en-scene?

11. Paragraph Two
PRINT MOVING IMAGE
• Iconography • Mise-en-scene
• Narrative codes • Narrative codes
• Typography • Editing/Transitions
• Mode of address • Audio Codes
• Images/Visual Codes • Images/Visual Codes
• Composition • Lighting
• Lighting • Shot types/Composition
• Setting • Setting
• Representation

13. Paragraph Two-Three
• What features do your style models share? (Be SPECIFIC)
• What do they connote/signify?
• How do they appeal to the target audience? (Avoid repeating yourself)
• What have you done in your pre-production to apply (or reinvent) this?
Iconography is central to action film posters, where the props signify violence and a
state of disequilibrium. In the posters for The Bourne Legacy and The Raid, for
examples, both protagonists are seen holding guns. This is central to creating the
sense of intensity and escapism, essential for action films. It is not every day that
the audience will see a gun and they can expect to escape into tense, dramatic and
explosive situations, which are more interesting than their daily routines. The
poster for The Raid offers more intense, savage iconography such as framing the
characters behind a cracked pane of glass, as well as the presence of blood. This
indicates to the audience that this film’s violence will be more gruesome, appealing
to many men’s fascination with gore, but also indicating that the film is not
appropriate for younger viewers (confirmed by its 18 certificate). In my poster, I
decided to have my central character holding a gun, looking as if he is about to take
a shot. This will appeal to the audience’s desire for an intense narrative, but also
creates an enigma, as the viewer will not know who the target is. Its lack of blood,
however, confirms that its target audience can include slightly younger viewers.
In addition to the props, the lighting is also central to the genre, especially the
action genre’s reliance on low-key lighting...

14. Paragraph Four
• Who or what is being represented in an interesting way?
Gender? Place? Etc.
• How has this representation been constructed? How have the
audience been positioned?
• Why may they have chosen this representation?
• Does it conform to or subvert stereotypes or theory?
• What have you done in your pre-production to apply (or
reinvent) this?
The Bourne Legacy poster reinforces many stereotypes about men.
For instance, the lighting on Renner’s bulging biceps supports the
notion of men being powerful and dominant – in this case,
constructing a genuine Proppian hero. The fact that he has a gun
in his hand reinforces the notion that men are the characters who
“do”, supporting John Berger’s observation that “Men act...
women appear”. In choosing a male for my poster, I was aware
that I was reinforcing these gender myths, as they appear central
to the genre’s tradition.

15. Paragraph Five
• What has your audience research told you? How will
you apply this?
• Support your ideas with numbers/statistics.
• Explain how you have applied your findings in your
pre-production.
My audience research also led me to some interesting
conclusions. I found out that although the action genre
is primarily aimed at men, just over half of the women
in my focus group also expressed an interest in the
genre. However, 25% of the women asked claimed that
it was the attractiveness of the male star that was key
to gaining their interest, rather than the film’s story. In
my poster, therefore, I chose to use a male who this
secondary audience would be likely to find attractive.