Aya ks5 media assessment (2)

A2 Media
Studies
Coursework
Research and
Planning
Name: Iris

M.I.G.R.A.I.N – Meaning/Media
Language:
In media there is two layers of meaning, Significier (Denotation) which is
what we actually see while watching something and Signifies
(Connotation) which is what you associate with the image, the deeper
or hidden meanings and associations. For example a scene where
people are physically fighting, you think about why they're actually
fighting and how they're feeling while fighting. There could be a reason
to while it lead to violence, so it’s just thinking about it in debt and the
different reasons why something is happening.
Meaning is created in a moving image by using symbolic and technical
codes, they are the key elements that help you understand how
meaning is created in media texts and moving images.

Symbolism
 Symbolism is things like an object, color, character, plot, special effects
and camera angles or an event in a story that carries more than the
literal meaning and therefore represents something signficant to
understanding the meaning of a work of literature. In
other words symbols always have a literal (concrete) meaning and a
figurative (abstract) meaning.
 Examples of symbolism:
 Black is used to represent death or evil.
 White stands for life and purity.
 Red can symbolize blood, passion, danger, or immoral character.
 Purple is a royal color.
 Yellow stands for violence or decay.
 Blue represents peacefulness and calm.

Different colors
and what they
symbolize
 People like
different colors like they like
different foods. Color also
represents feelings, people,
countries, cultures, and color
symbolism.
 For example in horror movies
the colours that would mostly
be used are dark colours such
as black or grey which
immediately makes the
audience think of death or
something evil could be
happening. Also the color red is
used a lot, in the movie cover
"US" the characters are all
wearing red body suits which is
a sign of danger which also
links perfectly to the movie
because they are the characters
that kill.

Symbolic codes
The symbolic codes of a film are generally the main
things that the audience notices. That include props,
colors and symbols, clothing, makeup, dialogue and
other items that are visually prominent. Symbolic codes
are what the audience generally observe the most,
because they are directly in front of them and very easy
to see. Of this genre, symbolic codes are just as
important as technical codes. If the actors are not
wearing the appropriate clothes that an audience
stereotypically joins together with the type of character,
for example a gangster, the film would become very
unrealistic, confusing and unthought of. Gangsters
would mostly adopt a basic style that includes white T-
shirts, thin belts, baggy pants with split cuffs, a black or
blue knit cap (beanie) or a bandana tied around the
forehead similar to a sweat band. A lot of them from
this era lived in Manhattan, in the seedy underground
settlements of the city, areas that were unpopulated,
dangerous and where they could carry out their illicit
activities of drug-dealing, mugging, murdering, etc. If
these codes for different eras are not distinguishable in
a film then the audience will have trouble believing
what is actually being said and done. Symbolic codes
can change the whole aspect of realism in a film.

Examples of symbolic codes
Costume
 •Time period/age/social class
 •Low/high quality production values
 •Status/role/occasion
 •Ethnicity/race/sexuality
 •Realism/escapist
 •Coordination with setting
Objects and props
 •Clues to characters
 •Objects to help understand scenes
 •Props could be used for super heroe capes or for example in harry potter they're wands
 •Motifs
Body language
 •Pose and posture
 •Eye contact
 •Actors movement/style

Examples of symbolic codes
Settings
 •Studio set design/ on location
 •Decor/style/interiors
 •Genre conventions
 •Audience identification
 •Backdrop
 •Natural
 Stylised
Lighting/color
 •High key and low key lighting
 •Single source and fill lighting
 •Use of shadows and silouettes
 •Bright primary colors
 •Black and white

Technical codes
 Technical codes are all the ways in which equipment is being used
to tell the story in a media text and for example camera work in a
film. It includes effects created by cemera position, framing,
composition, lighting ect.
 This includes sound, camera angles, types of shots and lighting as
well as camera techniques, framing, depth of field, lighting,
exposure and juxtaposition.
 Technical codes and conventions:
 Eye line action
 Lots of close ups
 Rhythmic editing
 Pulled focus
 Moving lights
 Diegetic and non-diegetic lighting
 Technical codes are codes that are very specific to a media form
and actually don’t live outside of them. For instance,
our understanding of different camera shots and their
connotations make sense when we watch and film and
also photographs but they really mean nothing to us outside of
those forms.

Mise-en-scene+ symbolic
codes
 When watching a movie, the word "mise-en-scene" refers to all that can be seen on the screen.
This encompasses everything from the clothes and set to the performance, lighting, and props. It
is crucial to the plot of the film since it allows the audience to focus on a certain character or aid
distinguish between characters or the scene.
 Lighting is used by filmmakers to create a specific atmosphere and express visual feelings in a
scene. As a result, the audience will have a greater understanding of how they should be feeling
and will have a sense of significance. Hard light is used in high-key lighting to reduce shadows,
making the scene brighter and more alive. This style of lighting is frequently employed in
romantic comedies because it complements the mood they're attempting to achieve. Low-key
lighting uses a high-contrast lighting pattern to brighten and darken different areas of the frame.
This heightens the tension in the scene by creating a dramatic or terrifying impression.
 Furthermore, the color of the light employed transmits various moods. For a color shift,
filmmakers frequently utilize a gel (which comes in a variety of hues) that they place on top of the
light. If the light in a scene is blue, it could represent grief that a character is experiencing or even
the hour in which the action is place; in this case, midnight. Red, on the other hand, is associated
with danger or evil. Colored lighting might aid in the healing process.
 Lastly, lighting equipment are used for specific purposes, depending on what they want
the audience to feel or focus on. An example would be a spotlight, which directs the
audience’s attention to the area the light shines.

Facial expressions
Facial expressions are ways to show how someone is feeling from just the movement of they're facial features to
express how they truly feel without talking. The audience would almost immedietly understand what the scenes
theme and what the atmosphere would be like whether it'll be negative or positive.
Common facial expressions that we can see:
Showing sadness- A person with a sad expression on their face conveys a potent message. Drooping eyelids,
downcast eyes, lowered lip corners, and slanting inner eyebrows have an arresting effect on observers.
Happiness- Muscle around the eyes tightened, “crows feet” wrinkles around the eyes, cheeks raised, lip corners
raised diagonally.
Fear- A fearful expression involves open eyes and mouth and conveys shock in response to a frightening event,
which signals a potential threat. A surprised expression also involves wide eyes and an open mouth, which indicate
unexpectedness and novelty
Anger: In anger the eyebrows come down and together, the eyes glare, and there is a narrowing of the lip corners.
During conscious suppression or unconscious repression of anger, the expression may be less obvious, though the
person may show signs of their anger in a split-second micro expression.
Disgust: Eyebrows pulled down, nose wrinkled, upper lip pulled up, lips loose. The disgust face doesn't just show our
distaste, it also works to protect us. Wrinkling the nose closes the nasal passage protecting it from dangerous fumes
and squinting our eyes shields them from damage.
Worried: Their eyebrows would be pulled up and together. Their upper eyelids would be pulled up, and their lower
eyelids would be tense and drawn up as well. Their mouth would be stretched and drawn back, possibly exposing
teeth.

Facial expressions
Why are facial expressions so compelling in films?
Béla Balázs, a Hungarian cinema theorist, argued that the close-up of the human face is what
distinguishes film from other forms of performance art, particularly theater. Unlike a staged
performance, the camera can bring us up close to a person's face, allowing us to peer deep
into their eyes and analyze every tightened muscle in minute detail. Balázs was essential in
bringing attention to the power of expression through the face and body in film during a time
when the sweeping wide view was in vogue.
Close-ups of faces can elicit our matching emotions.
Humans have a natural tendency to mimic and synchronize emotional facial expressions and
postures and other emotional behaviors of people they are interacting with, leading to
eventually taking in or ‘catching’ someone else’s intense emotions.
Close-ups of the face personify and embody the emotional nature of the film events on a
personal scale that can move us to the heart, while wide shots reveal landscape and
greater background.
Different shots of actors facial expressions gives a bigger insight of they're emotions and is
easier to portray to the audience to help them undesrtand the emotion they're going
through.

Body language
 In the actual world, body language is nonverbal communication in which bodily
behaviors are utilized to express or convey information without the use of words. Body
language is very significant in movies since it helps the audience comprehend a
character's feelings or what the scenario is trying to express. By observing their body
movements, gestures, and posture, we could understand a lot about what's going on.
 The position of a person's body when standing or sitting is referred to as posture. It can
indicate a lot about a character, such as whether or not they have an angled posture. It
could indicate that the character is of a specific age or that they have a difficult
profession that needs them to slouch frequently. Different postures could be employed
depending on the character. For example, someone who is feeling physically sick could
have theyre back slouched and theyre whole body becoming smaller. Someone who is
happy or excited, theyre body would be upright and with a lot of movement either
with their arms or even jumping up and down.
 The importance of body language in communicating cannot be overstated. The body,
unlike words or even face expressions, always speaks the truth. As a result, an actor
must not only be aware of his or her own body language, but also be able to use it
intentionally, deliberately, and in a variety of ways. Body language works within a
narrative context, modified by style and in accordance with the narrative purpose of
the story

Body language
 The pace and space of a character characterize their movement.
Walking at a slower pace would have a different connotation than
walking at a faster rate. Characters could express enthusiasm or a need
to go there in a hurry by moving at a faster pace or could show stress
and worry, but grief and calmness would necessitate a slower pace. The
amount of space between characters can convey a variety of messages,
one of which is their status. This helps the audience know how they're
feeling and could also experience those feelings too.

Props
 The objects or props that are placed and used in scenes by characters are
deliberately chosen to create a certain type of atmosphere and may also have a
symbolic meaning. For example, if an actor is in a room full of books the
audience would immediately assume he or she is inteligent and talented. Using
props could also help the audience realize what setting they are in, what country,
year or even century. For example, if someone is eating a bagguate or crouissant
and wearing a beret hat, the audience would immediately think they're in France,
because of the stereotypes that have been created for a while. If there was a
device that was used in the olden days, people who were born at that time will
know that its from they're times. For example, if the movie was based on witches
then the props would need to be a wand and a robe just like in harry potter that
each wizard has they're own robe based on what house they are in. This also
helps the audience realize how they are as charcters and realize how they' re
personality is.

Costumes
 Costumes are one of many tools the director has to tell the
story. Costumes communicate the details of a character's personality to
the audience, and help actors transform into new and believable
people on screen. A costume is worn by one actor, as one specific
character, in a specific scene or scenes in the story. Costumes in TV and
films take an important role and it is a way of method for the director
to use as a narrative and present in visual to tell the audience the story
of the characters, for instance: what period the character is in , what
class division the character is in etc. Costumes is also a way to tell the
audiences the identity of the character through appearances.

Examples of technical
codes (camera shots)

codes (camera angles)

codes (camera movements)

Examples of
technical codes (camera
movements)

Stuart Hall theory
 Reception theory as developed by Stuart Hall asserts that media texts are encoded and decoded. The producer
adds in messages and values into their media which are then decoded by the audience. Theres three theory's
that Stuart descovered:
 Preffered reading: how the producer wants the audience to view the media text. Audience members will take
this position if the messages are clear and if the audience member is the same age and culture; if it has an easy
to follow narrative and if it deals with themes that are relevant to the audience.
 Negotiated reading: a compromise between the preffered and oppositional readings, where the audience
accepts parts of the producer's views, but has their own views on parts as well. This can occur if there is a
combination of some of the above e.g. audience member likes the media, is of the same age as you and
understands some of the messages, but the narrative is complex and this inhibits full understanding. They do
not agree or disagree, they can however see a point being made in relation to the reading while also making
their own opinions. Overall this is a good response to an advert as it is still getting the message the
producer wanted to get across, even if the reader is also making their own judgement. An example is people
see a handbag advertised and think it looks nice but couldn’t justify spending the amount of money it would
cost.
 Oppositional reading: when the audience rejects the preferred reading, and creates their own meaning for the
text. This can happen if the media contains controversial themes that the audience member disagrees with. It
can also arise when the media has a complex narrative structure perhaps not dealing with themes in modern
society. Oppositional reading can also occur if the audience member has different beliefs or is of a different age
or a different culture.
 Different spectators will decode the text in different ways, not always in the way the producer intended it to.
 Encoding/decoding- it is the model of the relationship between text and audience, the text is
usually encoded by the producer and decoded by the reader

Stuart hall theory
 Many factors could affect
whether the audience take
the dominant, oppositional or
negotiated reading.
 Age
 Beliefs
 Culture
 Gender
 Life experience
 Mood at the time of viewing

Sound
 There are three main types of sounds in films:
 Dialogue which is when the characters are talking with each other
 Background music or just music in general creates an atmosphere and elicits emotions
 Sound FX adds to the actions happening on screen. These made be recorded in different
locations and added later. For example, they may have been created for a scene such as a
gun shots, raining sounds, someone being punched, cars crashing.
 Diegetic and non-diegetic sounds:
 Diegetic sound is the sound that the camera picks up while filming that are just natural
sounds. For example, voices of character and the majority of speech and also sounds that
are made by objects being used in the story.
 Non-diegetic sounds are sounds not picked up by the camera when filming, it has been
created and added post-production for a specific part in the story. For example, the
narrator’s dialogue which is too hard for the camera to pick up additionally, sound effects
added for an increased dramatic effect, music is also included as non-diegetic, its often
created to create a mood for the audience.
Non-diegetic:
Background music or sound
effects
Diegetic sound:
Dialogue

Editing
 Once all of the elements are filmed, the editor pieces it all together.
Many argue that this is the single most important job in filmmaking.
Combining shots into sequences , good editing is a critical element in
getting the audience to understand the films story, by
creating a mood.
 Good editing is a critical element in getting the audience to
understand the film’s story, by creating or enhancing mood, emotion
and character
 The director should always create a bunch of shots for the editor to
choose from to actually tell the story.
 Editing describes the relationship between shots and the process by
which they are combined. It is essential to the creation of narrative
space and to the establishment of narrative time. The relationship
between shots may be graphic, rhythmic, spatial and/or temporal.

M.I.G.R.A.I.N – Institutions:
 Media institutions tend to be large global corporations such as broadcasting
companies, newspaper and magazine publishers, film production companies,
music and publishing companies, and some governments.
 The Walt Disney is a diversified international family entertainment and media
enterprise. It operates through the following segments: Media Networks, Parks,
Experiences and Products, Studio Entertainment and Direct-to-Consumer and
International. In terms of revenue The Walt Disney Company is the
biggest media conglomerate. Its revenue in 2010 was $38 billion
 Institutional marketing is the strategy responsible for the set of communication
actions of a company with its audience. The goal of this strategy is to build and
strengthen the brand's image in the market.b
 production/distribution

Media Ownership
 Media ownership is when an institution gains control and dominance
within an industry. This is usually caused when conglomerates own
several institutions and synergises across different media platforms
creating 360-degree status. This can cause gate keepers to potentially
enforce hegemonies onto passive audiences. There 5 major
companies in the media industry such as comcast, Disney and Time
Warner. With these strong institutions in the media industry creating
an oligopoly, small independent institutions will struggle to compete.
As one of the five major institutions in the media industry, Disney
holds a gatekeeping position owning different subsidiaries
maintaining a 360-degree status.
 Concentration of media ownership is a process whereby
progressively fewer individuals or organizations control increasing
shares of the mass media.
 (Using Disney as an example)

Synergy
 Synergy is defined as collaborating to attain a goal that could not be
accomplished alone. If organizations are clever enough to take use of
the ties they have built, cross-media convergence can help with
synergy. From the top down, Disney is an obvious example of a
synergistic company, from the Film Studio to the Kids' TV Channel
(where it further plays and promotes its films) to the Disney Store (on
the street and online), where your kids can pester you to buy all the
merchandise and DVDs/CDs they've seen on TV/Web or in the theater.

Convergence
 The term "technological convergence" refers to the process of new technology
moving toward single platforms that deliver multiple media outputs that can be
used to reach audiences. For example, a PS3's primary function is video gaming,
but it can also be used to download and watch movies from Lovefilm.com, as
well as catch up TV and music videos.
 Cross media convergence:
 This is a phrase used in Business Studies to describe the joining of organizations
vertically or horizontally (or both). Working Title's exploitation of its parent
company(s) to obtain access to bigger stars and a better distribution network for
their films is a common example highlighted in tests. Small labels are bought up
and taken under the wing of larger groups, such as Sony and EMI, in the same
way that small labels are bought up and taken under the wing of larger groups,
such as Sony and EMI. Sony is a fantastic example, as they make movies,
television shows, and music, as well as the hardware to watch and listen to them
(including smart phones)
 The Walt Disney Company is another example of cross-media convergence as it
produces and distributes a wide range of different types of media. Disney is using
the popularity of the Avengers' film franchise to encourage viewers to watch their
television subsidiaries.

Disney and BATB
 Media ownership is when conglomerates own several institutions
and synergises across different media platforms creating 360-
degree status. Disney holds a gatekeeping position owning
different subsidiaries maintaining a 360-degree status.
The CEO of Disney is currently Bob Chapek who is in charge
of insuring that Disney maintains a strong position within all the
media sectors. Disney owns Marvel and Pixar in the film
institution as well as Disney plus online and Hollywood records in
the audio institution, helping Disney grow and increase their
$65.39 billion revenue through their horizontal intregration. For
large conglomerates such as Disney, who have global media
ownership allows them to be successful when producing movies.
Such as Beauty and the Beast

M.I.G.R.A.I.N – Genre:
Genre Theorists (who, what, examples): Genre theory refers to the research and ideas
surrounding genre. The importance of audience in genre is high, as much of genre is about
the audience identifying with it and recognizing it. The filmmakers are trying to break the
conventions of these genres in order to defy audience’s expectations and create interest.
Steve neale says “genres are instances of repetition and difference”
Daniel chandler said “ conventional definitions of genre are based on the idea that they
share particular convention of content, for example themes or setting”
John heartley said “ the same text can belong to different genres in different countries or
times”
David Buckingham said “ genre is a constant process of negotiation and change”
John fiske said “ genre attempts to structure some order into a wide range of texts and
meaning that circulate in our culture for the conveniences of both producers and
audiences”
Genre consists of four elements or parts: there’s the characters, the actual story behind a
movie, the plot, and where the movie was set.
The elements above equal to a specific category of a movie. These element are discussed
relating to how their variations created different category of movies.

M.I.G.R.A.I.N – Genre:
 Like other forms of popular media, the film relies on the concept
of genre in order to establish an audience and work within
a particular narrative framework. A genre is an informal set of
conventions, references, rules and settings that establish a particular film
within a particular tradition of similar films.
 Within each genre, there are usually subgenres, or more specific variations
on a larger genre tradition. For instance, within the larger genre category
of science fiction films, it's possible to distinguish subgenres, for example
alien abduction narratives or time travel scenarios.
 Genre in other words categorizes movies. Categorizing movies makes it
easier for the viewer to discover what he or she likes and will want to see.
Putting a movie into a particular genre or category does not portray how
the quality of the movie by assuming that if it can be put into a genre, the
movie is ordinary and lacks originality and creativity.

Horror genre
 Horror is the oldest and most well-established genres in the history of
film. Early horror films like Dracula in 1931 and also Mr Hyde elaborated on
and often adapted the gothic and the victorian horror novels of the
previous century. In order to give viewers a sense of romantic wonder,
combined with a fear of the unknown and the supernatural, horror movies
typically aim to create a spooky, halloween like atmoshphere. It’s a genre
that intends to frighten or scare or disgust the specific audience. Horror is
frequently supernatural, though it might also be non-supernatural. Horror
can be inteprented as a metaphor for the larger fears of a society. It can
be interpreted in many different ways, but there is often a certain
villain, monster, or threat that is often a reflection of the fears being
experienced by society at the same time. This creature or person is called
the "other", a term that refers to someone that is feared because they
are different or misunderstood. This is also why horror has changed
throughout the years. fears and cultures change and so does horror.

Horror genre
 Some elements of the horror genre-
 Themes:
 The horror genre is often a reflection of the culture and what it fears at the
time (for example, covid 19,diseases, invasions)
 Character types:
 Besides the evil character, monster, or threat, the various sub genres
contain a certain hero (for example, harry potter defeats voldemort)
 Setting:
 Horror can have many different setting. Such as a haunted house, a
cemetery, a gothic castle, small town, cabin in the woods. It can take place
in the past, present or future
 Music:
 This is an important thing in the horror genre. It can be used with great
effect to build the atmosphere and suspence

Some examples of horror
movies

Comedy genre
 Comedy genre has been one of the longest lasting genres in film, most of the
early silent films were comical and most had a happy ending to them.
 Silent films didn’t have any dialog they mainly used sound effects to emphasis the
funny action and an orchestra to fit with the mood, if they needed any words to
represent dialog they would insert black frames with white printing on them
between shots or scenes
 Comedy is a genre of film that uses humor as entertainment for the audience.
The aim of a comedy film is to bring laughter from the audience through stories
and characters featured in the film. Comedies have a tendency to become a
hybrid-sub genre as humour can be incorporated into many other genres.
 Some films like that are:
 Happy gilmore- a rejected hockey player who takes up golf in order to save his
grandmothers house
 Grounding day- this film features a grumpy old man who find himself living the
same day repeatedly.

M.I.G.R.A.I.N – Representation:
 Representation refers to the constuction in any medium, especially mass media, of aspects of
'reality' such as people, places, objects, events, cultural identities and other abstract concepts.
Such representations may be in speech or writing as well as still or moving picture.
 Laura mulvey's theory of the male gaze talks about where women in the media are viewed
from the eyes of a heterosexual man, and that these women are represented as passive
objects of male desire. The Male Gaze suggests that the female viewer must experience the
narrative secondarily, by identification with the male.
 Another way representation is shown is through the stereotypes of race and gender. A
stereotype is a fixed general image or set of characteristics that a lot of
people believe represents a particular type of person or thing.
 Woman have the stereotype of not being as strong as men and are mostly seen as weak and
emotional human beings
 Arabs are streotyped to be terrorists because of certain past events or to be wealthy and
having multiple wives
 Asians are stereotyped to be very intelligent and very successful in life
 Mexicans are stereotyped to be thieves or to follow bad paths and always end up in prison

M.I.G.R.A.I.N – Audience:
Passive audience:
An active audience engages, interprets and responds to a media
text in different ways and is capable of challenging the ideas
encoded in it. a passive audience is more likely to accept the
messages encoded in a media text without any challenges and
therefore more likely to be directly affected by the messages. The
audience accepts and believes all messages in any media text that
they receive. This is the passive audience model. They accept the
preferred reading and don't question it. In this model the media is
seen as powerful and able to inject ideas into an audience who are
seen as weak and passive
Three main points to know:
• Audiences acept media messages
• Audiences are easily influenced
• They do not make their own use of texts or interpret in their own
way

Active audience:
An active audience is one that actively engages with the text. They do not simply
accept every media message. They question what they see and develop their own
interpretation of a media product based on their life experiences, education,
family and cultural influences. This theory argues that media audiences do not
just receive information passively but are actively involved, often unconsciously, in
making sense of the message within their personal and social contexts.
Three main points to know:
• Audiences are involved in their interpretations of media texts
• Audiences create their own meanings
• Audiences question and respond to insitutions.

Hypodermic needle theory:
In the mid 1930s media scholars found the first theory on media affects and media
behaviours. The hypodermic needle theory is also known as the ' Magic Bullet
Theory'. The hypodermic needle theory suggests all mass media has a direct,
immediate and powerful response to its audiences. It implies that any messages
given from the mass media is received and accepted immediately. It is said this
theory was based from assumptions and observations at that current time, and no
actual findings were found to base this theory around. At this current time in the
1930s people were assumed to be uniformally contolled by the mass media. This
theory the media is seen as very strong and powerful because it's able to "inject"
different ideas to an audience who could be seen as weak. As technology back then
was rare, everything shown by the media was instantly portrayed as being the truth.
Radio and film were the only large recievers people could acsess at this time, there
were no televisions. Everyone was reveiving the same message, nobody knew to
question ot fpr anything different. For example, the casual relationship between
violent media and your actions. A person may have recently watched a film
where the character does a certain action and then the audience presumes that the
action is socially accepted and so does the action or recognises the action as
accepable. The most famous example of what would be considered the result of the
hypodermic needle theory was the 1938 broadcast of The War of the Worlds and the
subsequent reaction of its mass American audience.

Cultivation theory:
The cultivation theory was proposed by George Gerbner. It is one of the core
theories of media effects. According to the theory, people who watch television
a lot are more likely to be influenced by the messages from anything that there
viewing on the television. The influence goes to such an extent that their world
view and perceptions start reflecting what they repeatedly see and hear on
television. Television is, therefore, considered to contribute independently to the
way people perceive social reality. Gerbner also suggested that those who
stayed infront of the tv for long hours would percieve the world to be a mean
and scary place and therefore would be scared to go outside.The theory argues
that the media generally presents an image of the world that does not reflect
reality. Television images are an exaggeration or fantasy of what actually exists.
There is a number of handsome gentlemen,beautiful women, crime, wealth and
violence. As a result, people end up perceiving the real world in a distorted
manner and viewing actuality through a ‘television perspective.’

Two step flow theory:
The two-step flow of communication model hypothesizes that ideas flow from
mass media to opinion leaders, and from them to a wider population. It was
first introduced by sociologist Paul Lazarsfeld et al. in 1944 and elaborated by
Elihu Katz and Lazarsfeld in 1955 and subsequent publications. Two-step flow
model of communication, theory of communication that proposes that
interacting with people has a far stronger effect on shaping public opinion
than mass media outlets. In a first step, the influentials identify emerging
issues in the mass media agenda and change their
personal agenda accordingly. In a second step, they will diffuse their
personal agendas to others with lower influenceability through their personal
communication ties such as a social media platform like instagram or
twitter.An example of the two-step flow theory is Al Gore's The Climate Project
and the more recent We campaign (Nisbet, Kotcher). For both, he recruited
digital opinion leaders to reach more people and increase education of
climate change and policy details.

Uses and gratification theory:
Uses and gratifications was first introduced in the 1940s as scholars began to
study why people choose to consume various forms of media. For the next few
decades, uses and gratifications research mostly focused on the gratifications
media users try to find. Then, in the 1970s, researchers turned their attention to
the outcomes of media use and the social and psychological needs that media
gratified. Today, the theory is often credited to Jay Blumler and Elihu Katz’s work
in 1974. As media technologies continue to increase, research on uses and
gratifications theory is more important than ever for understanding people’s
motivations for choosing media and the gratifications they need to get out of
it. Uses and gratifications research has uncovered several motivation people
often have for consuming media. These include force of habit, companionship,
relaxation, passing the time, escape, and information. In addition, a newer body
of research explores people’s use of media to meet higher order needs like
finding meaning and considering values. Studies from a uses and gratifications
perspective have involved all kinds of media, from radio to social media.

Moral panic:
The moral panic theory, defined
by Stanley Cohen in 1972, suggests
that moral panic occurs when
someone or something is defined
by the media as a threat to the
values or interests of society. Moral
panic can play an important role in
enforcing moral panic, even by just
reporting the news. In extreme
cases, moral panic creates mass
hysteria within the community. The
general public start to believe
whatever is being reported on is
occurring everywhere in society.

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs:
 Maslow's hierarchy of needs is
a theory of motivation which states
that five categories of
human needs dictate an individual's
behavior. Those needs are
physiological needs, safety needs,
love and belonging needs,
esteem needs, and self-
actualization needs. In order to
better understand what motivates
human beings, Maslow proposed
that human needs can be
organized into a hierarchy.
the theory states that these five
categories of human needs dictate
human behavior

M.I.G.R.A.I.N – Ideology:
 Media Ideologies are a set of ideas or beliefs that people have regarding different
kinds of technologies. People use their media ideologies to form opinions
on media and technology and how it is used. Media ideologies also reflect how one
perceives messages via text or messaging. Capitalism, socialism, liberalism and
Marxism
 Ideologies might differ based on where you reside on the planet. This comprises the
beliefs of several leaders.
 Ideologies can be considered as negatives since they shape people's lives and limit
their freedom.
 Governments can promote specific beliefs that influence how individuals live their
lives. They can also be ingrained in a person's belief system and passed down down
the generations. It becomes the social norms and ideals of these people.
 Messages are attempted to be conveyed by media producers. Even if there is an
intended message for the audience, audiences may take these messages differently
based on their worldview.

Capitalism
 Capitalism is a system of economics in which private individuals or firms own capital
commodities. Individual capitalists are typically wealthy individuals who have invested a
considerable amount of capital in a business and profit from the capitalist system by
growing their income. Capital accumulation, competitive markets, a price system, private
property and the recognition of property rights, voluntary exchange, and wage labor are
the main characteristics of capitalism. Even if there are millionaires among the poor,
capitalists think that one's profits are fair.
 Pros of capitalism:
Economic freedom helps political freedom. If governments own the means of production and
set prices, it invariably leads to a powerful state and creates a large bureaucracy which may
extend into other areas of life. (Efficiency)
 Cons of capitalism:
Capitalism overlooks people's needs, leads to wealth disparity, and fails to foster equality of
opportunity. Capitalism also promotes mass consumerism, is unsustainable, and gives business
owners an incentive to harm the environment for financial benefit.
Capitalist propaganda in the media serves the primary goal of preserving the ability of any
ruling class to have their objectives reflected "as the common interest of all members of
society, expressed in the greatest possible form," so that their goals are universalized as the
only true ones.

Socialism
 Workers own the general means of production in a socialist economic
and political system (i. e. farms, factories, tools, and raw materials). This
can be accomplished through decentralized and direct worker ownership
of the means of production, as well as centralized governmental
ownership. Socialists believe that everything in society is the result of
people and citizens working together. In a socialist society, citizens rely on
the government for everything, including food and healthcare. Socialists
think that it leads to a more equitable society and a more equal
distribution of commodities and services.
 All socialist regimes have failed throughout history. People may lose
motivation to work harder as a result of increasing taxes for those who
earn high salaries. However, it aims for the redistribution of wealth and
income. It aspires to bridge the gap between the rich and the poor.

liberalism
 Liberalism is based on the concepts of freedom and liberty. It promotes
the idea that people have the freedom to make their own decisions
while still having equal rights and opportunities. It refers to one's ability
to be open to new ideas and accept other people's viewpoints. That is
distinct from there. Same-sex marriage is an illustration of liberalism
today. It believes that everyone has the freedom to make their own
decisions, such as marrying a partner of the same gender. This means
that your marriage choice should not influence whether you are treated
differently or have fewer privileges.

Marxism
 Marxism is a political and economic conviction that there are no social
classes, that everyone works for the common good, and that class
struggle is theoretically obsolete. Marxism is a social, political, and
economic ideology developed by Karl Marx that focuses on the
conflicts between capitalists and workers.
 This theory looks at how power and conflict play out in society. It
explains why there is such a disparity in power and money distribution
amongst socioeconomic classes. Marxism aids in the understanding of
conflict and change.
 One of Marxism's flaws is its aim to abolish religion. The reason for this
is that one of Marxism's fundamental aspects is that everyone is
entirely equal – and religion would interfere with this because it
immediately places some people in superiority or inferiority to others
within the religion.

M.I.G.R.A.I.N – Narrative:
 Traditionally, narrative structures followed
a formula which was identified by the theorist Tzvetan
Todorov.
 Todorov studied classic fairy tales and stories.
 He discovered that narratives moved forward in a
chronological order with one action following after
another. In other words, they have a clear beginning,
middle and end.
 Todorov also suggested that the characters in the
narrative would be changed in some way through the
course of the story and that this would be evident by
the resolution.
 This traditional story arc format is known as a linear
narrative
1. The narrative starts with an equilibrium
2. An action or character disrupts the equilibrium
(disruption)
3. A quest to restore the equilibrium begins
(recognition)
4. The narrative continues to a climax
5. Resolution occurs and equilibrium is restored (repair&
new equilibrium)

Narrative
 Non-linear narratives and circular narratives have a structure that is not so
straightforward.
 A non-linear narrative can move backwards and forwards in time usually
using a flashback technique. This is used in the film 500 days (of
Summer) which follows a relationship but we see flashforwards and
flashbacks as the story progresses.
 A circular narrative may begin at the end of the story and work its way back
to the origins of the narrative. Circular narratives are often only understood
clearly by the audience at the end of a film.
 These are used to give the audience extra information, usually about the
past of a character, which helps drive the story. Flashbacks also manipulate
time and space - Sherlock is a good example of this: often the same event
or crime is shown more than once, but with additional clues highlighted, or
from a different, more revealing perspective.

Trailer Research:
Trailers refer to short previews of a piece of content, such as a movie trailer, which demonstrates scenes
and the general plot and mood of a piece of media, in order to garner interest. This also applies to
trailers for television or radio shows or other online content like podcasts or vlogs. Generally, trailers will
be matched with other relevant content, such as a trailer for a fantasy movie appearing before a science
fiction movie, or a trailer for a family comedy appearing before a children's animated film. A trailer might
also appear for self-promotion, such as content on the same network or a trailer for the next episode of a
series or sequel in a film franchise.
Trailers have evolved from just mere descriptions of a film, to dramatic voice-over montages, to today's
frenetic fast-cut teasers. The era of the blockbuster and the MTV cutting style, with its fast-paced
edits, changed the landscape of the movie trailer forever.
• Trailers have become more and more contemporary throughout the years using many different ways.
One of the reasons as to how movie trailers have become more contemporary is down to technology.
Due to technology evolving over the years; trailers can now be viewed on a range of different media
platforms; for example, using smartphones.
• Another way trailers have become more contemporary is by using social media. Social media is used to
inform fans about updates, releases and anything else that is related. This then means that social media
would be used to create the hype of movies by posting the trailers on different social media platforms
such as Facebook where fans who have viewed the trailer are then able to press the ‘like’ button as well
as share the trailer – making more people aware of the new upcoming movie.

Trailer Research:
 Character, tone, setting, genre, and originality are all required for a good trailer. So you
need material that makes us want to watch the rest of the movie. If your script is solid,
somewhere in the first ten minutes of your film you'll find a scene that does all the above.
A scene that launches the story into action.
 Independent films are produced by smaller production companies. They do not follow the
same formula as studio films. Instead, they vary in style and genre.
 Independent films are often designed to make you think about certain subjects or issues,
and feature challenging storylines that are more realistic
 and less escapist than in studio films. A movie poster is the initial image of the film. It is the
promotional material for the production. The poster is there to summarize the film in one
image to help draw attention towards the upcoming flick. Without a poster, you're relying
solely on words which can get dull very quickly.
 Brands work with movie production houses to include their products or mentions of
their products in films as a means to subtly advertise. Movie theaters don't disrupt your
viewing experience to show commercials. In addition to this, many companies
also use these opportunities to increase brand awareness.

Trailer – 3 Act Structure:
The three act structure is a narrative model that divides stories into three parts —
Act One, Act Two, and Act Three, or rather, a beginning, middle, and end.
Screenwriter, Syd Field, made this ancient storytelling tool unique for
screenwriters in 1978 with the publishing of his book, Screenplay. He labels these
acts the Setup, Confrontation, and Resolution.
Some writers label these three acts the setup, build, and payoff. Both are correct.
But the basic point of each of these acts is that they have their own set of
guidelines to develop, build, and resolve a story.

Analysis of Trailer 1:
The horror film The Conjuring premiered in 2013. James Wan, who also directed Insidious, is the director of this and many more horror
flicks. Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga, two well-known horror movie actors, are the major characters in this clip. This trailer is aimed at
a more mature audience who enjoys being startled. It is not suitable for youngsters under the age of eight. Many elements of pathos
can be seen in the trailer for The Conjuring. The ominous soundtrack, real images from the Warren family, phrase excerpts that flash
across the screen, and disturbing pop-up scenes from the movie are just a few instances. In addition, there are a few examples of
logos and ethos in the film. They use the first example of a logo in the opening few seconds of the trailer to present the firm that
produced the film. Warner Brothers is a well-known studio that produces both horror and non-horror films. As a result, a viewer of the
trailer would notice this and be fascinated, especially if they enjoyed the company's previous films. Also, there is a small moment in the
trailer where they highlight other films directed by the same person as this one. Insidious and Saw are two of these films. These are a
collection of horror films that are both diversified and successful. Viewers may catch a glimpse of this and become hopeful that the
film will likewise be a success. Just these few examples of logos seen in The Conjuring trailer have such a significant impact on the
entire believability that the film requires to succeed. The two main characters are dressed in old-fashioned clothes, this could suggest
that they have a connection with the past or past events that might've occurred. The two old fashioned characters contrasts with the
scene of the modern students in the class, showing their conficting ideas and maybe lifestyles, as well as their possible isolation with
the new generation and the new societies. The brightly coloured school also contrasts with the dark house which, again tends to show
the differences in lifestyles. The black and white images are of things which symbolize death e.g graves and broken toys. This tends to
foreshadow the events that are going to happen in the film. The characters include a lot of children. Children are often used in horror
films to show contrasts between good/innocence and evil. They are also seen as very vulnerable and weak by their cowering stances in
this scene, suggesting that they are the victims. This makes the audience feel very sympathetic towards them. the camera suddenly
flashes white throughout the trailer, this makes the audience feel like the footage is amateur or old fashioned, but it also makes the
audience wonder if there are any subniminal messages, linking to the supernatural, within these second of white flashes. The trailer is
filled with fast-paced cuts, meaning that not much of the story is revealed, due to the fact that you are unable, as an audience to
folcus on one section of the trailer at any one time, especially as the trailer progresses. There are lots of close up, deep and long shots
within the opening sequence. All of these shot types mean that the viewer is always either too close or too far away from the action.
This means that the audience are never totally in the loop of the action and events that are taking place. The fact that the two main
characters are mostly seen with either low or high angle shots show their power over some things, but also their vulnerability that we
would be able to see later on. The sounds throughout the trailer ar parallel to the acion. When the pace of the trailer is picked up, so
does the non-diegetic, dramatic and frightening music

Analysis of Poster 1:
KEY
CONCEPTS:
Meaning
Institution
Genre
Representation
Audience
Ideology
Narrative
The title of the film is in dark and large
bold font which makes it easy to read, it is
also the largest font on the screen
meaning it therefore stands out most and
this could be done to catch the audiences
eye. Another reason why they have
chosen this is because in my opinion this
is the most important features as the
audience needs to know what the film is
called in case they want to watch the film
or watch the trailer.
The film being directed by James
Wan which also directed Saw and
Insidious the viewer can expect
the film to be a horror movie or to
have that frightening effect on the
audience while they watch it.
The main colours of the
poster are Grey, Black and White.
The colour black is associated
with danger and mystery which
makes the viewer feel like some of
the events would have a bad
ending . Grey is also a common
convention used in the horror film
posters because it has the
association with loss and tragedy
also dullness which all films in this
genre have to create that spooky
atmosphere
The main focus in the conjuring poster is the
establishing shot of the decaying and dying tree with
a rope which symbolizes death which could make
the reader feel like they need to know why that rope
is there and the mystery would keep them on tbe
edge of there seats,which is something the director
wants the reader to feel. The shadow underneath the
tree instantly catches the viewer’s attention of which
is someone wearing a dress but is faceless, this
connotes the idea that this could be anyone in the
house.
The other image in the poster is a house,
this would typically represent the idea of
comfort and be welcoming to someone but
being put on a horror film poster it
suggests the idea that this is going to be
the main setting in the film and something
tragic is going to happen in the disruption.

Analysis of Social Media
Page 1:
There profile picture is showing when
the movie came out and where, this
is so they can easily promote there
movie and its easy for the audience
to look for it.
The header is also there movie poster
which shows the two main characters
together with the background being
balck and red it clearly looks like it
would be a horror movie. The colors
black and red both show danger and
evil, which sort of gives a background
to the movie
On there bio they added a link that
the audience can click on and it
automatically takes them to the
conjusring trailer so they can watch it
and get an idea of what the movie is
about and this would attract them to
go and look for the full movie
Click to add text
There is a pinned tweet is there trailer that the
audience and followers would get an easy
access to seeing what the movie is actually
about. They also say that It was a true story
which would make the audiences experience
while watching the movie more horrifying
There is a hashtag where
they can click and there
would be a lot of posts and
tweets talking about the
movie or short clips which
gives more information on it
which would attract the
followers to watch it

Analysis of Trailer 2: "Run"
 In the opening scene we can see a medium close up of a woman, her eyebrows are frowned and her mouth is slightly
open this could show that she’s in shock or she’s feeling confused and worried, in the background there looks to be
people standing, and in dressed in blue uniform that is typically only worn by doctors this shows that the setting of the
first scene is in a hospital room. Her hand is placed on the glass and her facial expression changed to fear and
distraught this could show to the audience that what she’s looking at is what is making her feel this way, this could
make the audience confused since they’re not able to see exactly what she’s looking at. After this the audiences
confusion is gone because there’s immediately a background voice of the woman asking “if she’s going to be okay”,
then the camera slowly tilts and the audience can clearly see, this is about a mother who gave birth and is unsure if her
baby will survive. A shallow focus was used when showing the baby to point out how upset the mother is as well as
showing how small the baby is which in this case looks like it isn’t normal. Multiple long shots are being used to show
where the next scene could be set at. The next couple scenes is cuts of the daughter talking about how much her
mother does for her, and there’s a medium shot used to show the mother taking care of her garden, this could
represent to the audience at the start that she’s a good person, then it's being followed by a close up shot of the
mother cooking, which again puts her in a good light with the audience. Shot reverse shot of the two women talking
and reassuring each other how much they care for each other which makes it look like they have a good relationship
from the outside, however the music in the background seems to be getting more and more intense, this could build
up excitement and tension with the audience or to show that the bad things will happen eventually. A close up of a
few files that the daughter found, show that her mother is keeping something from her and the audience could clearly
see from the frowned eyebrows and her eyes widening that she might’ve found something out that she wasn’t
supposed to. A medium shot of the daughter using the computer is shown to show that she's searching something up
which indicates curiosity and trying to find out what is going on with her mother, lowkey lighting is used in this scene to
create a tense and disturbing atmosphere. A medium long shot is shown of the mother sitting across her daughter and
watching without her knowing, which was used to scare the audience as it’s not normal to sit in the dark and the music
drops as soon as the camera shift to the mother, this would make the audience feel very on edge and scared.

Analysis of Trailer 2: "Run"
 A close up shot of a container with green pills which has a huge “Run” label on it, again linking back
to the name of the actual movie and also giving the audience a sign that she's in trouble and she
needs to find a way to escape. This also gives the audience a little backstory to what is actually
happening between them. A medium shot is then used to show her looking over her shoulder with
her mouth slightly open as soon as she hears her mothers voice, this shows that she's starting to
become terrified of her own mother and that she might feel that she needs to hide. This could affect
the audience because they would feel sympathy for the young girl, because she can't be living in her
own house when stereotypically your home is the safest place for you.a medium shot of her then
shouting and being locked in a room, proves that she's unsafe and trapped in her own world that is
built on lakes because of her mother. A medium long shot is then shown of the young girl “running”
away from her mother which again is linking to the movie title and proving a point to the audience
that all she could do was run away. Multiple medium close up clots are shown when objects like traffic
lights repeatedly flash the word “Run” and then created with trees, this is now clearly making a
statement for the audience watching that her only solution to this is to run away from her evil mother,
in order to survive. Fast cuts of the mother holding her daughter shows how in one side she's the
mother she's supposed to be, smiling and looking in her eyes and the other cut is her looking straight
at her with her eyes wide open and an angry and frustrated face. The mother then says “you figured it
out” and then it immediately cuts to a scene where the mother is trying to get on the other side of the
door where her door is hiding, this shows that everything is let out and the daughter can finally see
what type of person her mother is. Towards the last scenes there's a close up of an injection which
then makes it very clear that the mother was lying about some medical issues the daughter might’ve
had, which creates curiosity within the audience to see what actually is the reason to all of this.

Analysis of Social Media
Page 2:
They also have their reels,
which were previously placed
on their story, and then they
play their highlights. Highlights
on Instagram are useful for
movie accounts like this
because they allow fans to see
and comment on information.
For example, in this case, the
reels show how fans interacted
with the movie and created
small skits and recreated some
movie scenes, demonstrating
that they care about the
audience because they are
sharing fan videos with the
public. This may entice people
to view the film and form their
own impressions.
On their bio again, they seem to have a hashtag that once the
fans can click on it takes them to posts that have been posted
under that hashtag, they can there see posts about the movie.
This also shows the fans they can use that hashtag if they would
like to post about it. As well as letting the audience know that if
they would like to watch this movie they could click on the hulu
link and watch it there. They placed it there so their able to get
more views on their movie and faster.
They have a link called hulu on
their bio that takes fans to
another social media platform
called twitter where a Live Q&A
with the cast and filmmakers of
"Run" is up and running where
they answer some questions
and generally speak about
what the film is about and
other important information
the fans need to know. This
helps inquiring audience
members understand where
the movie and idea came from,
as well as how the actors filmed
it. This may be beneficial,
especially if the audience
wanted to learn more about
the film after they had seen it.

Aya ks5 media assessment (2)

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