Critical Perspective in the Critical Perspective in the MediaMedia

G325G325 Theoretical Evaluation of ProductionTheoretical Evaluation of Production

Section 1b:Section 1b:Question 1(b) requires you to select one production and evaluate it in relation to a media concept. The list of concepts to which questions will relate is as follows:

• Genre

• Narrative

• Representation

• Audience

• Media language

You will need to learn all the relevant theorists for each one of these in order to use them in the exam.

You will need to learn all the relevant theorists for each one of these in order to use them in the exam.

Section 1b:Section 1b:You DO need to:

1.Use a few quotations if you can – keep them short

2.If you don’t have a quotation – try to summarise the idea and apply it to your coursework.

3.Be able to apply them to your work/ case studies

4.Consider how useful/ not useful they are when discussing your work

You DO need to:

1.Use a few quotations if you can – keep them short

2.If you don’t have a quotation – try to summarise the idea and apply it to your coursework.

3.Be able to apply them to your work/ case studies

4.Consider how useful/ not useful they are when discussing your work

You do NOT need to:

1.Learn a load of quotes – although one or two may be useful

2.Explain their theories in great depth

3.Know them all

You do NOT need to:

1.Learn a load of quotes – although one or two may be useful

2.Explain their theories in great depth

3.Know them all

Genre:Genre:

• ‘Genre’ is a critical tool that helps us study texts and audience responses to texts by dividing them into categories based on common elements.

KEY WORDS:

David Chandler: details that the word genre comes from the word for 'kind' or 'class'. The term is widely used in rhetoric, literary theory, media theory to refer to a “distinctive type of ‘text’”.

Genre TheoryGenre Theory

David Buckingham David Buckingham Nicholas Abercrombie

Nicholas Abercrombie

Christine GledhillChristine Gledhill

John FiskeJohn FiskeAndrew GoodwinAndrew Goodwin

Stephan PrinceStephan Prince

Steve NealeSteve Neale

Barry Keith GrantBarry Keith Grant

Dennis McQuailDennis McQuail

Rick AltmanRick Altman

L.O: To be able to link THEORISTS to L.O: To be able to link THEORISTS to courseworkcoursework

G325G325 Theoretical Evaluation of ProductionTheoretical Evaluation of Production

L.O: To be able to evaluate GENRE in L.O: To be able to evaluate GENRE in our coursework our coursework

G325G325 Theoretical Evaluation of ProductionTheoretical Evaluation of Production

Task: Task: Chandler’s and Grant’s Chandler’s and Grant’s theories.theories.

KEY WORDS:

David Chandler: details that the word genre comes from the word for 'kind' or 'class'. The term is widely used in rhetoric, literary theory, media theory to refer to a “distinctive type of ‘text’”.

Barry Keith Grant: emphasised the idea that all genres have sub genres by suggesting this allows audiences to identify them specifically by their familiar and what become recognisable characteristics.

• Write down how your AS production fits into a specific genre/sub-genre/hybrid genre.

• Back this up with at least 5 specific elements/examples from this production that show how you have replicated genre conventions.

• Must be specific – Mise-en-scene, editing techniques, camera shots, sound.

Task: Task: Altman’s and McQuail’s Altman’s and McQuail’s theories.theories.

KEY WORDS:

Rick Altman: argues that genre offers audiences ‘a set of pleasures’.

Denis McQuail: audience members get ‘uses and gratifications’ out of media texts for audiences.

• Research Altman’s three pleasures. Decide which one might relate to your product and write down in detail 5 examples from your product which offer this for your audience.

• Research McQuail’s four uses and gratifications. Decide which ones might relate to your product and write down in detail 5 examples from your product which offer this for your audience

Task: ‘Task: ‘Evolving’ Genre Theories Evolving’ Genre Theories KEY WORDS:

Christian Metz: argued that genres go through a typical cycle of changes during their lifetime.

David Buckingham: argues that 'genre is not... Simply "given" by the culture: rather, it is in a constant process of negotiation and change’.

Steve Neale: “genres are processes of systemisation” – they change over time.

• How is your product part of a genre that has changed over time.

• Give 3 examples of how your product conforms with the typical genre and 3 examples of how it challenges the genre and shows it is evolving.

Task: Task: Genre ThemesGenre ThemesKEY WORDS:

David Bordwell: notes, 'any theme may appear in any genre‘.

• 5 themes that appear within your product that are part of your genre.

• Back each one up with examples from your work.

L.O: To be able to evaluate GENRE in L.O: To be able to evaluate GENRE in our coursework our coursework

G325G325 Theoretical Evaluation of ProductionTheoretical Evaluation of Production

Exam Style Question:Exam Style Question:

“Analyse one of your coursework productions in relation to genre”.“Analyse one of your coursework productions in relation to genre”.

L.O: To be able to mark successfully using the L.O: To be able to mark successfully using the MARK SCHEMEMARK SCHEME

G325G325 Theoretical Evaluation of ProductionTheoretical Evaluation of Production

D.I.R.T:D.I.R.T:• WWW

• EBI

• D.I.R.T Task that needs to be completed to improve this essay.

L.O: To be able to link THEORISTS to L.O: To be able to link THEORISTS to courseworkcoursework

G325G325 Theoretical Evaluation of ProductionTheoretical Evaluation of Production

Narrative:Narrative:

• A narrative is a series of events that must be linked in order to find meaning.

• An audience needs to be able to understand and engage with a text easily. Therefore, media texts must be structured clearly.

Beginning End

Narrative TheoryNarrative Theory

Tzetvan TodorovTzetvan Todorov

Roland BarthesRoland BarthesLevi-StraussLevi-Strauss

ProppPropp

Noel CarrollNoel Carroll

L.O: To be able to link THEORISTS to L.O: To be able to link THEORISTS to courseworkcoursework

G325G325 Theoretical Evaluation of ProductionTheoretical Evaluation of Production

How to use theorists:

• Quote• Summarise• Comment

Assume your reader knows about the theory/ theorist.Don’t explain the theory; use it.

You DO need to:

1.Use a few quotations if you can – keep them short

2.If you don’t have a quotation – try to summarise the idea and apply it to your coursework.

3.Be able to apply them to your work/ case studies

4.Consider how useful/ not useful they are when discussing your work

You DO need to:

1.Use a few quotations if you can – keep them short

2.If you don’t have a quotation – try to summarise the idea and apply it to your coursework.

3.Be able to apply them to your work/ case studies

4.Consider how useful/ not useful they are when discussing your work

Applying to your coursework:Applying to your coursework:Narrative

Explain how you used conventional and / or experimental narrative approaches in one of your production pieces. (Exam Board Example)

• How useful is the concept of narrative in understanding your work?

• How is your narrative structured? (convergent/ parallel/ circular/ linear/ non-linear/ interweaving/ fragmented/ impressionist…?) How did you use chapters/phases?

• What pleasure(s) does your narrative offer the audience?

• How do you use characters in your narrative? How have you used protagonists/ antagonists? Is Vladimir Propp useful to understand your production?

• Some theorists and theories you may be able to apply: Story versus plot; Tzetvan Todorov (equilibrium etc); Claude Levi-Strauss (binary opposition); Roland Barthes (Enigma code; Action code. Also, Open and Closed texts); Pam Cook; Noam Chomsky (narrative is fundamental to human understanding)

• How does the narrative structure/ ending shape the meaning of your production?

You DO need to:

1.Use a few quotations if you can – keep them short

2.If you don’t have a quotation – try to summarise the idea and apply it to your coursework.

3.Be able to apply them to your work/ case studies

4.Consider how useful/ not useful they are when discussing your work

You DO need to:

1.Use a few quotations if you can – keep them short

2.If you don’t have a quotation – try to summarise the idea and apply it to your coursework.

3.Be able to apply them to your work/ case studies

4.Consider how useful/ not useful they are when discussing your work

L.O: To be able to link THEORISTS to L.O: To be able to link THEORISTS to courseworkcoursework

G325G325 Theoretical Evaluation of ProductionTheoretical Evaluation of Production

Representation: Representation:

• Representation is what are the connotations of the media text - Symbolism.

• Verisimilitude – appears to look real. Socially what they look like, and how they are represented through society – e.g. policeman with respect.

Representation Theory

Representation Theory

Stereotypes Stereotypes Dominant ideologyDominant ideology

HegemonyHegemony

PerkinsPerkins

BaudrillardBaudrillard

Laura MulveyLaura Mulvey

PluralismPluralism

L.O: To be able to link THEORISTS to L.O: To be able to link THEORISTS to courseworkcoursework

G325G325 Theoretical Evaluation of ProductionTheoretical Evaluation of Production

Applying to your coursework:Applying to your coursework:Representation

Analyse media representation in one of your coursework productions. (Jan10)

How does your video represent different social groups/ people/ places/ lifestyles? What values/ ideologies are you representing/ promoting?

Does your production create a hegemonic representation/ does it represent and reinforce the dominant ideology?

What positive/ negative/ stereotypical connotations and representations are you constructing/ using/ challenging?

How are the representations in your production the products of your own cultural experience/ background/ ideology/ values? – Pluralism?

What would Laura Mulvey say about your production?

You DO need to:

1.Use a few quotations if you can – keep them short

2.If you don’t have a quotation – try to summarise the idea and apply it to your coursework.

3.Be able to apply them to your work/ case studies

4.Consider how useful/ not useful they are when discussing your work

You DO need to:

1.Use a few quotations if you can – keep them short

2.If you don’t have a quotation – try to summarise the idea and apply it to your coursework.

3.Be able to apply them to your work/ case studies

4.Consider how useful/ not useful they are when discussing your work

L.O: To be able to link THEORISTS to L.O: To be able to link THEORISTS to courseworkcoursework

G325G325 Theoretical Evaluation of ProductionTheoretical Evaluation of Production

Audience TheoryAudience Theory

Stuart Hall Stuart Hall Dyer’s Utopian theory

Dyer’s Utopian theory

Morley’s ResearchMorley’s Research

Denis McQuailDenis McQuail

Hypodermic Needle

Hypodermic Needle

Cultivation theoryCultivation theory

L.O: To be able to link THEORISTS to L.O: To be able to link THEORISTS to courseworkcoursework

G325G325 Theoretical Evaluation of ProductionTheoretical Evaluation of Production

Applying to your coursework:Applying to your coursework:You DO need to:

1.Use a few quotations if you can – keep them short

2.If you don’t have a quotation – try to summarise the idea and apply it to your coursework.

3.Be able to apply them to your work/ case studies

4.Consider how useful/ not useful they are when discussing your work

You DO need to:

1.Use a few quotations if you can – keep them short

2.If you don’t have a quotation – try to summarise the idea and apply it to your coursework.

3.Be able to apply them to your work/ case studies

4.Consider how useful/ not useful they are when discussing your work

AudienceEvaluate the ways that you constructed your media text to target a specific audience.

• How useful is the concept of audience in understanding your work?

• Who is your target audience? How did you develop your target audience? How does your production appeal to your target audience?

• How useful are various segmentation models to describe your target audience? Demographics? Psychographics? Findyour tribe?

• Consider theorists and theories such as: Stuart Hall: Encoding and Decoding; Preferred/ negotiated/ oppositional readings; Denis McQuail – (Uses and Gratification theory); Ien Ang - “Audiencehood is becoming an even more multifaceted, fragmented and diversified repertoire of practices and experiences.”; Hypodermic Needle Theory

L.O: To be able to link THEORISTS to L.O: To be able to link THEORISTS to courseworkcoursework

G325G325 Theoretical Evaluation of ProductionTheoretical Evaluation of Production

• In your case, media language refers to the ‘language of film’ or 'video' - ways in which film-makers make meaning in ways that are specific to film/video and how audiences come to be able to 'read' such meaning within film/video. This is closely connected to other media concepts such as genre or narrative so you will make such connections in your answers.

• Think connotations, mise en scene, camera angles and shots, semiotics, binary oppositions, codes and conventions.

• If you think back to the AS TV Drama exam, when you had to look at the technical codes and how they operate, that was an exercise in applying media language analysis, so for the A2 exam if this one comes up, I’d see it as pretty similar.

• For moving image, the language of film and television is defined by how camera, editing, sound and mise-en-scene create meaning. Likewise an analysis of print work would involve looking at how fonts, layout, combinations of text and image as well as the actual words chosen creates meaning. Useful theory here might be Roland Barthes on semiotics-

denotation and connotation and for moving image work Bordwell and Thompson

Media Language:Media Language:

Bordwell and Thompson TheoryBordwell and Thompson Theory

Bordwell and Thompson offer two distinctions between story and plot. These relate to the diegetic world of the narrative that the audience are positioned to accept and that which the audience actually see. This is based on the Russian Film Theory:

Fabula - This is the story. This means that all the events in the narrative that we see and infer. It is defined as the chronological series of events that are represented or implied.

Syuzhet - This is the plot. This means that everything that is visible and audible are presented before the audience. Syuzhet is seen as the order, manner and techniques or their presentation in the narrative.

Media Language:Media Language:

• Camera Angles, shots, body language etc..• Style and type of editing and filming• Written, Symbolic, Technical (WST)• Semiotics – Signs of what we see (signifier)• Denotation/Connotation• Iconography• Paradigm – set of codes that we see in a media

text

Stuart Hall

Bordwell and Thompson

Barthes

Rickman

Stuart Hall

Bordwell and Thompson

Barthes

Rickman

Coursework

Mise-en-sceneMise-en-scene

SoundSound

CameraCamera

EditingEditing

• Clothing• Facial expressions• Props• Lighting • Diegetic

conversations (emphasising people’s attitudes)

• Non-diegetic sound (rhythm of music) • Angles enforcing subordinate/dominate

characters.• Composition of characters in the shot

(how are they stood? Why are they stood like that?

• Quick cuts to quicken pace?

• Wipes/fades/dissolve?• Timings• Effects?

• How are the technical (i.e. camera) and symbolic (i.e. costume) codes used to communicate meaning?• How can you use semiotics to deconstruct the text?• In what way could you say the text is conventional with regard to it’s form?