MEDIA STUDIES GCSE

Assignment 1:Packaging of DVDs

Learning Objectives• To understand what is required of me

in my Media Studies GCSE• To understand key concepts within

the Media

Media Studies GCSE SpecifiactionEXAM 40%Unit 1: Investigating the MediaWritten Paper- 1 hr 30 mins – 60 marksBased on a pre-released paper which will be released

JUNE 2011COURSEWORK 60%Unit 2: Understanding the MediaThree assignments to be completed:I. Introductory assignmentII. Cross-media assignmentIII. Practical production and evaluation

The Media• Media can be defined as a way of communicating to

large amounts of people• It can be divided into THREE CATEGORIES:

– Print– E-media– BroadcastMatch the definition to the correct aspect of the media:1. Anything that can be accessed through the use of

computers or mobile phones.2. Anything that is delivered to an audience through the

use of televisions, cinemas or radios.3. Anything that is produced on paper and can be

distributed by hand.

Copy and complete the following table:

PRINT E-MEDIA BROADCAST

MagazinesFacebookComputer gamesWebpagesMobile phonesNewsFilmsMusic videosNewspapersLeafletsSoap OperasPodcastsDVDsDVD covers

Assignment 1: Introduction to the Media

TOPIC Analytical task Research and planning task

Packaging of DVDs

Analyse the covers of TWO film or television programme DVDs. How does each cover appeal to its target audience?

Your analysis must include an explanation and should total approx 500 words.

Design a DVD cover for a film or television programme targeted at a specific audience.

Learning Objective• To understand what is expected of

me in assignment 1 of my Media GCSE

• To develop an understanding of the key concepts surrounding assignment 1.

The Media and Me...• Answer the following questions in full sentences1. What is your favourite film?2. What genre of music do you listen to?3. What is your favourite TV programme?4. How often do you read magazines?5. Which magazines do you read regularly?6. Which newspapers do you read?7. What was the last film you saw at the cinema?8. What film did you last buy on DVD?9. What is your favourite genre of film?10.Do you use social networking sites? If so, which ones?

Assignment 1: Introduction to the Media

TOPIC Analytical task Research and planning task

Packaging of DVDs

Analyse the covers of TWO film or television programme DVDs. How does each cover appeal to its target audience?

Your analysis must include an explanation and should total approx 500 words.

Design a DVD cover for a film or television programme targeted at a specific audience.

Key Concept: AUDIENCEYou must be able to identify the TARGET

AUDIENCE for the DVD cover you are analysing.

1.Write down as many ways as possible we can classify an audience.

• Age• Ethnicity• Gender• Location• Occupation• Income• Lifestyle choices• Attitudes• Political persuasions

The National Readership SurveyAudience classification through occupation and income

QUESTION:What problems do you think could arise through this type of audience profiling?

Grade Social class UK population Typical occupation A upper middle class 3.4 % doctor, solicitor, barrister,

accountant, company director B middle class 21.6 % teacher, nurse, police officer,

probation officer, middle manager

C1 lower middle class 29.1 % junior manager, student, clerical/office workers, supervisors

C2 skilled working class

21 % foreman, agricultural worker, plumber, bricklayer

D working class 16.2 % manual workers, shop worker, fisherman, apprentices

E underclass 8.8 % casual labourers, state pensioners, students, unemployed

Why do we need the media?• Decide with the person next to you

what we gain from the media.– Think about TV, music, films, magazines,

newspapers, games etc.

Learning Objectives• To learn Blumler and Katz’s ‘Uses and

Gratifications’ theory• To compile an audience profile for a

range of products within the media.

Audience theory: Uses and Gratifications

• In the 1970a media theorists Blumler and Katz came up with five reasons why audiences consumed media texts:

1. To be informed and educated2. In order to identify with characters and

situations3. To be entertained4. To enable themselves to socially interact with

others5. To escape from their daily troubles and woes.

Audience theory: Uses and Gratifications

Rank Blumler and Katz’s theory (most important down to least important) for the following media texts:

1. Eastenders2. Newspapers3. Call of Duty game4. Glee tv show5. Facebook

Learning Objectives• To understand how to ‘read’ a media

text through denotation and connotation

Learning Objectives• To develop my understanding of

target audience• To understand the difference

between ‘denotation’ and ‘connotation’ and apply this to media texts.

Audience ProfilingDraw a picture of the ‘type’ of person you would

expect to consume the media texts on the handout.

EXTENSION:Annotate your picture with the following information:• Gender• Age• Interests/hobbies• Beliefs/values• Occupation

Genre and Target Audience1. How many genres of film can you

list in a minute?2. Pick THREE different genres and

create an audience profile for each genre (draw or write).

You should layout you work like this:GENRE AUDIENCE PROFILE

Basic image analysis • Write down the first five words

which come into your head when you see the following images and sounds

• Don’t think about this- just follow your immediate instincts

Apply the processes of denotation and connotation to the colour below:

Denotation and Connotation• Denotation ‘the simplest and most obvious level of

meaning of sign, be it a word, image, object or sound. Identifying what is actually there, on the page, in the frame of a factual manner.

• Connotation ‘the deeper meaning in which a wider range of associations may arise. These meanings are arrived at through the cultural experiences a reader brings to the text.

Copy and complete:Denotation(EVERYTHING you see)

Connotation(deeper meaning)

Nazi flagBeachCrossUnion JackColour

DENOTATIONCONNOTATION

• Write your own definition for the terms above.

Learning Objectives• To be able to apply my understanding

of denotation and connotation to a DVD cover

• To begin to understand what is expected of me in assignment 1.

Answer the following questions in full sentences:

1) Who is the target audience for this film?

2) Apply the process of DENOTATION to this cover.

3) Apply the process of CONNOTATION to the following:

1) Age certificate2) Picture3) Film title4) Star rating5) ‘From the producer of THE DEVIL

WEARS PRADA’4) Write a paragraph explaining

the ways this DVD cover appeals to its target audience.

DVD covers• What are the typical ‘codes and

conventions’ of a DVD cover?

DVD terminology• Annotate the DVD cover.• NOTE! TWO of the terms are NOT on

the DVD cover… you need to sport which one!

• MONTAGE

One more thing…• Match the definition to the correct term:1) House style2) Iconography3) Typography4) Institution

- The identity of a media product which makes is easily recognisable to its audience.

- A large organisation that is influential in the community.- The appearance of printed characters on the page- The set of symbols or images recognised by people as

having a particular meaning

DVD Analysis• Label your DVD cover using

everything you have learnt this lesson.

Learning Objectives• To develop my understanding of the

ways in which the ‘Control’ DVD cover appeals to the film’s target audience

• To understand what is required of me in section two of my assessment.

STARTER

Lesson Task1. Annotate ‘Control’ cover with how it

appeals to its target audience2. Peer assess3. Copy up annotations for FINAL

DRAFT.

Lesson Objectives• Complete my DVD analysis final draft• Create my own DVD cover for a

specific genre and TARGET AUDIENCE of your choice.

StarterLabel the following on your handout: HIGH ANGLE SHOT LOW ANGLE SHOT OVER-THE-SHOULER SHOT CLOSE UP MEDIUM SHOT LONG SHOT

DVD Analysis• Don’t forget to mention...

Denotation and connotation Colours Lighting (high-key and low-key) Camera shots Information given:

Director’s name, actors involved Star rating Institutions involved (magazine reviews etc) How the blurb appeals to the target audience Pictures

Assignment 1: Introduction to the Media

TOPIC Analytical task Research and planning task

Packaging of DVDs

Analyse the covers of TWO film or television programme DVDs. How does each cover appeal to its target audience?

Your analysis must include an explanation and should total approx 500 words.

Design a DVD cover for a film or television programme targeted at a specific audience.

Write down the genre and target audience for the DVD cover you wish to analyse.Some ideas…Children’s animation, rom-com for girls, action adventure for boys, sci-fi for boys?, rock-bio film (Control), TV programmes, e.g. The Mighty Boosh etc

DVD ChecklistHave you included...

FRONT COVER: DVDtitle Large central image Tag line Star rating and

magazine/newspaper name

Age certificate Format logosSPINE: Format logos Age certificate Thumbnail image DVD title

BACK COVER:BlurbMontage of imagesExtracts from reviewsSpecial features boxList of people and institutions involved, Eg.‘music by, costume designer, production designer, edited by, director of photography, screenplay, produced by, directed by’...Age certificate BOXInstitutional logosBarcode