1. Unit 6: Critical Approaches

2. Unit 6 LO3 and 4 Narrative Representation and Demographics
Todorov’s Theory
Linear and Non-Linear
Character Arc
Film analysis
Representation and Demographics
Effects debate
Sex
Violence
Language

3. Introduction to Theoretical Audience Models:
Aim of today’s lesson:
Introduction to Theoretical Audience Models:
Uses and Gratification Theory
Reception Theory
The Hypodermic Needle Theory

4. Information
Finding out about relevant events and conditions in immediate surroundings, society and the world
Seeking advice on practical matters or opinion and decision choices
Satisfying curiosity and general interest
Learning; self-education
Gaining a sense of security through knowledge

5. Entertainment
Escaping, or being diverted, from problems
Relaxing
Cultural, artistic enjoyment
Filling time
Emotional release

6. Personal Identity
Finding reinforcement for personal values
Finding models of behaviour
Gaining insight into one's self

7. Integration and Social Interaction
Gaining insight into circumstances of others; social empathy
Identifying with others and gaining a sense of belonging
Finding a basis for conversation and social interaction
Having a substitute for real-life companionship
Enabling one to connect with family, friends and society

8. East Enders Information and Education Entertainment Identification
Integration and Social Interaction

9. Education
Focus of debate on topical issues
Entertainment
Regular part of domestic routine and entertaining reward for work
Identification
Identification and involvement with characters Escapist fantasy
Interaction
Launchpad for social and personal interaction

10. Pointless Information and Education Entertainment Identification
Integration and Social Interaction

11. Self-Rating Appeal
I can compare myself with the experts
I like to imagine that I am on the programme and doing well
I feel pleased that the side I favour has actually won
I am reminded of when I was in school
I laugh at the contestants’ mistakes
Basis for Social Interaction
I look forward to talking about it with others
I like competing with other people watching with me
I like working together with the family on the answers
The children get a lot out of it
It brings the family together sharing the same interest
It is a topic of conversation afterwards
Excitement Appeal
I like the excitement of a close finish
I like to forget my worries for a while
I like trying to guess the winner
Having got the answer right I feel really good
I get involved in the competition
Educational Appeal
I find I know more than I thought
I find I have improved myself
I feel respect for the people on the programme
I think over some of the questions afterwards
It’s educational

12. Reception Theory
Reception Theory focuses on the role of the Audience in the interpretation of the text. In other words, Reception Theory suggest that audiences play an active role in the reading of a text. Theorist Stuart Hall realised that these different readings could be broken down into three clear areas…

13. The Different Types of Reading
Preferred Reading
This is the meaning of any Media text as intended by the author. The Encoding stage by the producer is read exactly as it intended to be. More often than not, the Preferred Reading is in line with dominant ideologies.
Negotiated Reading
This meaning of the text is generated and negotiated by what the audience member brings to the text in terms of their ABV’s and life experience. This will impact on the Encoding stage and alter its meaning/interpretation.
Oppositional Reading
A reading of the Media text by an audience member that rejects the Encoded content, ideological positioning and apparent meaning intended by the producers of the Media text and, instead, substitutes an entirely different reading of the Media product.

14. The Preferred Reading would be that the author, McDonalds, wants the audience to think that the Big Mac is not only something nice to eat but also a meal that is going to fill you up: it is not only going to taste good but it will also satisfy your hunger.
The Negotiated Reading would be that the audience is aware of how flavoursome a Big Mac is but would also be aware that it is Junk Food and therefore, more than likely, not going to fill them as much as the advert implies. This would also be tempered by the unhealthy nature of the burger itself.
The Oppositional Reading would be that the audience recognises that the food is Junk Food and is therefore very unhealthy. They will not ‘fall’ for the advert and therefore not go out a purchase a Big Mac.

15. Hypodermic Needle

16. Hypodermic Needle Theory
Academics such as Theodor Adorno suggested that if the audience does not question the Media Products that they engage with, then they are in danger of being influenced and manipulated of accepting immoral information. The audience is at its most vulnerable while they are being entertained as the messages of a Media Product can subconsciously be embedded in their brain…

17. Music Videos
Musicians and music videos have long been at the centre of debate with regards to their influence over young viewers.
Young people in particular are deemed to be most vulnerable to the power of music videos as they are less aware of the need to question representational issues.
Journalists and academics have suggested that music videos can affect the body image of young women in particular as well as teenage attitudes towards sexual behaviour.

18. Messages of Representation
The Representation of women is main complaint surrounding music videos. These are some of the arguments:
Women are objectified – they are there to be admired and looked at by men.
Women are disposable and interchangeable.
Female sexuality exists in relation to men.
Female audiences are in danger of believing that they should look and act like these pop stars in order to attract men.

19. The Hypodermic Needle Theory in Action
On 7th November 2013 the BBC reported on the growing concern surrounding the ‘sexualised’ culture of music videos.
The report argued that in a survey of 1500 members of the website Netmums, 82% said that their children had repeated sexual lyrics without being aware of their meaning.
75% of those surveyed also said that they believed that pop acts were teaching young girls to be “judged on their looks, not their achievements or personality”.
This discussion can directly be linked to the Hypodermic Needle Theory as the parents are concerned about the ways that music videos are affecting their children.

20. Does Film Affect us?
The Matrix Defense is the term applied to several legal cases of a defense based on the Matrix films where reality is actually a computer generation and that the real world is quite different from what reality is perceived to be. In using this defense, the defendant claims that he committed a crime because he believed he was in the Matrix, and not in the real world. This is a version of the insanity defense which is based on blurring reality with the movies

21. The Matrix Defense
In February, 19-year-old Josh Cooke, bought a shotgun similar to the one used by Keanu Reeves’ character Neo, and shot his parents in their home, killing them, both. Cooke's lawyers have said that he believed he was living inside the Matrix, owned a trench coat similar to the one Reeves’ wears in the film and had a poster of him in his bedroom. "After conducting an investigation, we concluded that our client was obsessed with the movie The Matrix,“ one of Cooke's defense attorneys, stated. He continued by stating that Cooke "did believe he was in a virtual reality world similar to The Matrix."