Assignment 1: Packaging of DVDs 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 Specifiaction EXAM 40% Unit 1: Investigating the Media Written Paper- 1 hr 30 mins – 60 marks Based on a pre-released paper which will be released JUNE 2011 COURSEWORK 60% Unit 2: Understanding the Media Three assignments to be completed: Introductory assignment Cross-media assignment 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 Broadcast Match the definition to the correct aspect of the media: Anything that can be accessed through the use of computers or mobile phones. Anything that is delivered to an audience through the use of televisions, cinemas or radios. Anything that is produced on paper and can be distributed by hand.

Copy and complete the following table: PRINT E-MEDIA BROADCAST Magazines Facebook Computer games Webpages Mobile phones News Films Music videos Newspapers Leaflets Soap Operas Podcasts DVDs DVD 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 sentences What is your favourite film? What genre of music do you listen to? What is your favourite TV programme? How often do you read magazines? Which magazines do you read regularly? Which newspapers do you read? What was the last film you saw at the cinema? What film did you last buy on DVD? What is your favourite genre of film? 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: AUDIENCE You must be able to identify the TARGET AUDIENCE for the DVD cover you are analysing. 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 Survey Audience classification through occupation and income 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 QUESTION: What problems do you think could arise through this type of audience profiling?

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: To be informed and educated In order to identify with characters and situations To be entertained To enable themselves to socially interact with others 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: Eastenders Newspapers Call of Duty game Glee tv show 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 Profiling Draw 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 Audience How many genres of film can you list in a minute? 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 Connotation Nazi flag Beach Cross (EVERYTHING you see) Connotation (deeper meaning) Nazi flag Beach Cross Union Jack Colour

DENOTATION CONNOTATION 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: Who is the target audience for this film? Apply the process of DENOTATION to this cover. Apply the process of CONNOTATION to the following: Age certificate Picture Film title Star rating ‘From the producer of THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA’ 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: House style Iconography Typography 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 Task Annotate ‘Control’ cover with how it appeals to its target audience Peer assess 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.

Starter Label 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 Checklist Have you included... FRONT COVER: DVDtitle Large central image Tag line Star rating and magazine/newspaper name Age certificate Format logos SPINE: Thumbnail image DVD title BACK COVER: Blurb Montage of images Extracts from reviews Special features box List of people and institutions involved, Eg.‘music by, costume designer, production designer, edited by, director of photography, screenplay, produced by, directed by’... Age certificate BOX Institutional logos Barcode