Media Studies AS RevisionRevision Notes: MEST1 Overview

Media Language/FormsYou need to consider:

Colour

Camera Angles

Setting

Dress codes

Body language

Props

Written codes (such as

font,size,style)

Editing

Sound

This is known as themise-enscene

What does the colour represent, what atmosphere does it create? For example yellow represents joy and creates a warm atmosphere.

Different angles achieve different effects. An extreme close up can be done to bring attention to detail but it can also achieve intimacy or make the audience uncomfortable.

Can be anything ranging fromprops to lighting.

For example , fast pace editing can create a feeling of urgency; this can be due to excitement or fear.

Diagetic and Non-diagetic sounds havedifferent effects. Non-diagetic sounds help to set the mood whereas diagetic sounds such as voices are often used to tell a story.

Semiotics – the study of signs

Lighting Signifier & Signified

It examines how symbolic,written and technical signs construct meaning.Looks at how meaning is made and understood.

High Key Lighting:oAble to see everythingoNothing is hiddenoJoyfuloCould represent happiness, summeroLikely to be used in a comedy or a light hearted film

Low Key Lighting:oFearoIntroduction of a villainoSadoSense of mysteryoLikely to be used in a horror film

Coloured lighting: oUsed to give a particular effect to a scene. A golden glow isoften used to light a scene where a solf, flattering effect isrequired.

Diagetic Lighting: oNatural lighting that belongs to the scene , such as a lamp, torchor the sun.

The Signifier:oThe sign: could be a word, colour or image(i.e. the colour blue)

The Signified:oThe concept/meaning/assicuations with thesign (i.e. blue is associated with sadness or thesea)

Example: ‘The coulour yellow is a signifier thatsignifies joy, sunshine or a happy atmosphere.’

All media texts have two layers of meaning:oDenonative level – what we actually seeoConnotative level – what you associate with it

Example:’Blue sky is a denotation , its connotation issummer,purity or a happy atmosphere.

Camera Angles• Wide shot/Very long shot – used to show the setting. Figures will be small , this is often used to

establish a scene and give the audience an idea of context.

• Long shot- figures will be seen from head to toe, some background will be seen. Often follows up

a wide shot to focus on a person.

• Mid shot/Medium shot- this is used to clearly identify what the subject is doing. Usually from the

waist up.

• Mid close up- this shot focuses on a frame that shows their chest to their head.

• Over the shoulder shot- often a mid close up , looking over a persons shoulder , commonly used

in soaps.

• Close up- Focuses on the face of a person. It creates an intimate feeling for the audience or

focuses on detail.

• Extreme close up- focuses on one area of the face to show an emotion or expression.

Camera Angles• Low angle shot- it makes the subject look

bigger,overpowering, important or threatening.

• High angle shot- makes the subject appear vunerable, weak or threatened.

• Point of view shot- to show someones point of view- for example looking through the eyes of a killer.

• Dutch Angle- the camera is titled or slanted creating a feeling of unease or disturbance.

• Bird eye shot- the camera looking vertically straight down at the subject.

• Eye level shot- very common- looking at the subject at eye level.

• Steadicam- camera is placed in a harness so that it remains steady.

Sound

Sound whose source is visible on the screen or whose source is implied to be present by the action of the film:voices of characterssounds made by objects in the storymusic represented as coming from instruments in the story space ( = source music) Diegetic sound is any sound presented as originated from source within the film's worldDiegetic sound can be either on screen or off screen depending on whatever its source is within the frame or outside the frame.Another term for diegetic sound is actual sound

Sound whose source is neither visible on the screen nor has been implied to be present in the action:narrator's commentary sound effects which is added for the dramatic effect mood music Non-diegetic sound is represented as coming from the source outside story space.The distinction between diegetic or non-diegetic sound depends on our understanding of the conventions of film viewing and listening. We know of that certain sounds are represented as coming from the story world, while others are represented as coming from outside the space of the story events. A play with diegetic and non-diegeticconventions can be used to create ambiguity (horror), or to surprise the audience (comedy).Another term for non-diegetic sound is commentary sound.

Diegetic Sound Non-Diegetic Sound

Narrative StructuresOpen

Closed

Circular

Linear

Non-Linear

Single-Strand

Multi-Strand

Non-Narrative

The storyline continues beyond the endof an episode.

The storyline is resolved when the film orepisode ends.

Nothing really chages; charactes return to theiroriginal state by the end.

The narrative unfolds in a chronoligocalorder.

The narrative does not progress in chronologicalorder; flashbacks are used.

The narrative focuses upon one central character.

The narrative focuses upon a group of central characters.

The media text does not contain a narrative structure.

Audience• There are two types of audience:

Passive Audience: an audience that is easy to influence, injected with idead though media and acting upon it.

Active Audience: an audience that is not so easily influenced , does not believe everything in the media, contributes to media.

DemographicsThey are to do with how much money you earn & your education.

ABC1C2DEHighermanagement

Middle management

White collar workers

Blue collarworkers

Semi-skilled and unskilled manual workers

Unemployed, students,pensioners,casualworkers

PsychographicsThe 4C’s- Cross Cultural Consumer Characterisation:

Mainstreamers: largest group, concerned with stability and security. Will buy well recognised, reliable products.Aspirers: seek to improve themselves. Like high status brands.Succeedes: secure and in control. Buy products which reinforce feelings of control and power.Reformers: idealists who consume eco-friendly products which show care and responsibility.

Theories

• Hypodermic needle theory: the media influences us directly and we are affected by what we see and hear. no attempt to process or challenge the media.

• Two step flow: this is where we discuss what we see and hear with others (opinion leaders) before reaching decisions about it

• Uses and gratifications: audience now made choices about what media they consumed. actively consuming different texts for different reasons.

• Reception theory: even further than actively consuming texts, audiences are now also affected by other factors such as age, ethnicity etc. the producer encodes the text, and the audience decode, so there is a difference between them. however codes and conventions are used to create a dominant/proffered reading.

Theories in Film

Todorov- Equilibrium: Everythingsright.- Disruption: something goes wrong- Recognition: Recognising that something is wrong- Resolution: Resolve the situation- Equilibrium again

Levi StraussNarrative consists of sets of binary oppositions which drive the narrative:Good V EvilDark V LightYoung V OldHuman V ImmortalPast V PresentHot V ColdMan V WomanAudiences follow the narrative in order to see the resolution of these oppositions.

Proppian RolesoHero- motivated by something normally a lack of something. Not necassarily a heroic character but more a person that carries the story along. (SimbaoVillain- The bad guy, corrupting, knows a secret (Scar)oPrincess- reward for the hero, objects to the villain (Nala)oDonor- provides the hero with essential objects e.g. advice (Mufasa)oBlocker- Someone who tries to make the hero fail (zazoo)oKing- rewards the hero, father figure (Mufasa)oDespatcher- sends the hero on a mission (Nala)oHenchman- aid the villain ( Hyenas)oHelpers- aid the hero ( Timone and Pumba)oFalse hero- who is seen as the hero but isn't really, decpetive character (Scar)oTemptress - an allruing woman out to make the hero fail ( Hyenas)

Propps spheres of actionoThe hero sets out on a quest, sent out be despatcher(Phil trains hercules then sends him on his quest)oThe princess is threatened by the villain and rescued by the hero(Meg has sold her soul to hades, Hercules gives up his power)oThe donor gives the hero something to help him on his quest(Hercules' adoptive parents show him the necklace off his mother)oThe blocker causes obstacles on the quest (Pain and panic)oThe hero is tempted from his quest (He falls in love with Meg)oThe hero is rewarded by the king (Zues creates a picture of hercules in the stars, to hail him as a true hero)

BarthesRoland Barthes proposed that narratives are propelled by a series of codes e.g.Enigma codes (hermeneutic) a question that is not immediately answered thus draws an audience into the text (who is the chosen one in harry potter)Action code-immediately understandable action in a film (proairectec), can offer a short hand for describing how things are progressing/advancing e.g. place=someone will arrive in another countrySymbolic codes - codes that can be decoded on a mainly connotational level - all the things which draw upon our experience and understanding of other media texts.Broad themes are often structed in oppositions (Strauss) (The characters of Shrek)Cultural codes- code of reference to knowledge outside of the text e.g. accents, knowledge about particular places, parody of other texts/films.Viewer brings this knowledge to the film e.g. colour red=Danger, passion or stop