Textual Investigation 1 - Update

Learning objective: 
To bring textual investigation 1 which is based on genre up to date by implementing feedback.

Key terms: 
POINT - EVIDENCE - EXPLAIN

Task 1:
Complete the handout tasks you were given yesterday.

Task 2: 
Continue with your textual Investigation.
1 - Put the feedback you have received in place on the Word document that is your T. I.
2 - Write about the codes and conventions that have been used on your text.

3 - Email the latest version of your textual investigation to Mr Ealey at the end of the lesson for feedback.

At this stage you should have the following in place for the first piece of gcse coursework:

• A definition of genre (reference this)

• An introductory paragraph

(set out what you are going to be writing about in the essay and what you are going to be comparing your main text with. This part should also include an illustration of your text.)

• A paragraph about audiences which can include:
• A discussion of the target audience for your text. Not the product your text is promoting.
• Audience categorisation (NRS)
• Age rating - PEGI for example - say why the text has been categorised, is it to protect children from harmful content?

• A paragraph about the iconography which is used for your specific genre and the iconography within the specific text you are investigating.

• A short paragraph about representation. 
• What type of characters do audiences expect from this genre?
• Compare your text with other texts and discuss the characters an audience would expect.

• A discussion of the codes and conventions used on your poster. For this you should refer to the work you did when analysing the promotional poster for Bridesmaids.
• Consider including a sentence about the following:
•  Quotes, mark of quality, mode of address, expert witnesses, star ratings, colour codes, costume, body language.
• NOTE: If your text does not include some of the above conventions you should say why this is and compare with a text that does include the conventions. Include an illustration of the text you are comparing with.
• Summarise; does your text challenge or conform to genre conventions?

The next issue you need to address are the cast and crew involved with your text.
Indicate who the important production people are and anything successful they may have worked on
before.
Research and discuss the budgets of the other productions in comparison with the text you are writing about.
Say why the audience would expect certain things from your text because of past productions the cast and crew have been involved with.

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Typography in textual investigations

Learning objective: To continue with textual Investigation 1 by discussing the lettering on your text.

Key terms: Serif, sans serif, formal, dynamic, decorative, reflects, connotations of, challenges, conforms.

You need to discuss the typography on the print based text that you are investigating.
1. Say what lettering is suited to the genre you are dealing with.

• This Psychological thriller/horror genre is suited to the broken lettering of the promotional poster for the Alfred Hitchcock film 'Psycho'.

2. Show and discuss an example of a text from the same genre that uses that kind of lettering.

• The designer Saul Bass created this poster for a psychological thriller film again directed and produced by Alfred Hitchcock. The type has connotations of dizziness which is an important element of the film's narrative.

3. Show text from another genre that uses another specific font style.

• A period drama for example may use a decorative, serif font. This has connotations of flamboyance which the audience would also expect from the music and the costumes in a period drama.

4. Let the moderator know that you are aware of the impact of lettering on print based texts for attracting an audience and say what the audience expectations will be because of the lettering.
You could include images of different fonts that have varying connotations of genre.
Horror, Rom-Com, Sci-fi etc

• Below is an example of font analysis that a student submitted as part of their research for GCSE Media Studies:

5. If the organisations, cast or crew have produced or been involved with a text from the same genre then show evidence that with an illustration.

• These Adam Sandler film posters are both colourful and reflect the comedic nature of the texts.

6. If you can, state who designed the poster and specifically the lettering.

• For example, Saul Bass also designed the poster for the Hitchcock film Frenzy.

7. In conclusion, say if you think the text you are investigating challenges or conforms to genre conventions through the use of lettering.
Consider colour connotations

Conclusions

Film poster key conventions

Learning objectives: To annotate a film poster considering key conventions.



Key terms:
Hyperbole - This is over exaggerated language used to enhance the attraction of the text and the experience.
Copy - This is the writing on the media text.
Mark of quality - This is usually the film logo, the director's name or references to other successful films made by the director. These are used to convince the audience that this new film is a quality product.



Conventions:

The images and copy on a film poster will usually give a clue to the genre of the film.

Iconography - this is another clue to the genre of the film being promoted. The objects, background, clothing and setting will establish the genre of the film.

-Film Noir iconography-

Promise of pleasure - these are the words and phrases that tell the audience what they will experience through watching the film. For example; fear, laughter etc

Star billing - the positioning of the images or the names of the stars on the poster.
Often, a hierarchy of importance will be evident.

Stars - the stars can also give a clue to the genre - Jennifer Aniston is associated with romantic comedies and Harrison Ford with action / adventure films.

The tag line - this is the memorable phrase or slogan that becomes associated with the film and appears on the marketing material.

The image - this will have been carefully constructed and may suggest the narrative of the film and the role of the key characters.

Language and mode of address - this will be persuasive and often makes use of hyperbole (I've told you a million times what hyperbole is!)

Expert critiscism - quotes from newspapers, film and magazines and reviews suggesting the quality of the film and making it a 'must see'.

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Task 1: Write out the key terms above in a new page in your orange books

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Task 2: Annotate the film poster below using the handout provided; Bridesmaids

Consider: Quotes, mode of address, expert witnesses, visual codes, technical codes, star rating.

Quotes - make comparisons with films that would attract a similar audience.

Mark of quality - refers to other successful films of a similar genre.

The film title - is a hook and, combined with the image, gives the audience an idea of what to expect.

The mode of address - is direct and challenging and subverts the connotations of the title.

Expert witnesses - are used in the quotes to suggest that the film is unmissable.

The body language - of the actors is provocative and challenges what the audience might expect of real bridesmaids.

Costume - gives the characters individual personalities that we assume will be explored as part of the film's narrative. The bride is clearly identified in a conventional dress but she appears unconventional and shares similar characteristics to the other characters.

Save the date - is a persuasive technique which suggests that everyone will be going to see the film and audience members should not get left out.

Star ratings - suggest the good quality of the film.

Colour codes - suggest a romantic comedy; however, we can tell through other codes such as facial expression that the film has other elements.

Task 3: Complete your annotation.

Task 4: Peer assessment

Exploring representation

Learning objectives:
To consider how stereotypes can be used to communicate a message quickly.

Key terms:
Representation-how people, places, issues and events are presented in different media texts in order to create meaning.
Digitally enhanced-this means that an image is changed on a computer. For example, a computer programme such as Adobe Photoshop can lengthen the neck of the model, get rid of any blemishes, make them thinner, straighten their nose and represent them as being more attractive to the target audience.
Stereotypes-this is where a group of people are shown repeatedly in a particular way by exaggerating certain characteristics.

Task 1: 
Write the above key terms and their meanings in your orange books.

Representation is another important element of media studies and it is quite complicated.
The media is not a 'window on the world', by this we mean that it does not show the real world, it show us a version of it that has been re-presented according to the type of text.

In order to help you to analyse  the representations in a range of media texts you will need to understand:

All media texts are constructed. For example, a model on the front of a magazine may be airbrushed and digitally enhanced; they would not look the same if we saw them in real life.
Technical codes and editing in audio visual texts is another way in which representations are constructed.
For example, taking a photograph of a group of teenagers using low key lighting for a film poster will make them look dangerous.

Task 2: 

List how the relevant visual and technical codes that have been used in the above poster for the film Kidulthood and describe how young people been represented. (C. F. C. B. G. S / framing, lighting).

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The Advertising Standards Authority are the regulators of advertising in the UK. They deal with complaints from the public about adverts that could be misleading or harmful.

The photos below are images of the actor Rachel Weisz. The image on the right is an ad for anti-wrinkle cream that has clearly been digitally enhanced.
The ad was banned by the ASA (Advertising Standards Authority) because it was seen as being misleading to audiences.

Most media texts use stereotypes to give out messages quickly to an audience. 

Stereotypes work by over emphasizing certain features of a person or group of people. 

For example the moodiness and unreasonable behaviour shown by a teenager. 

An audience will recognise certain stereotypes and expect them to behave in a certain way because the representation has been used over and over. 

For example a career woman in an advert or an enthusiastic rookie cop in a police drama.

Not all stereotypes are negative. 

'Irish people are friendly' is a generalization which is more positive.

Different audiences will respond to representations in different ways. 

For example, young people may be unhappy with the way they are represented in some national newspapers.

Task 3:

Consider how young people are represented in the text below Anuvahood promotional poster and trailer.

Write a list of bullet points to support your argument and consider the visual and technical codes used to create the representation including sound.

Task 4: 

Write a paragraph (100-150 words) about representation in your first textual investigation with consideration given to the following:

• What type of characters would an audience usually expect from the genre of your text? Describe the appearance and behaviour generally expected.
• Give some examples of characters from other texts of the same genre.
• How have the characters in your text been constructed?
• Consider age, appearance, visual and technical codes.
• Is there a positive or negative representation? Say why.
• Has the image been digitally enhanced? Say what effect this may have on the target audience.

Textual Investigation 1 continued

Learning objective:
To bring textual investigation 1 (genre) up to date with paragraphs on audience and iconography.

Key terms:
Denotation, connotation, implies, target audience,  NRS, desensitised, iconography, codes.

Textual Investigations are an important part of your GCSE final grade.
You need to use lesson time this week to put in some hard work on your first textual investigation.
Be sure to use media terminology, every blog post here includes key terms that will gain you marks.
Each time you complete a paragraph, email the document to Mr Ealey as an attachment for feedback.

By the end of this week you should have at least completed the following on the digital version of your investigation:

• A dictionary definition of the concept of genre.
• An introductory paragraph

Here you should set out what you are going to be writing about in the essay and what you are going to be comparing your main text with. This part should also include an illustration of your text.

You will return to the introductory paragraph when the essay is complete, then you can state any theorists you have written about.

• A paragraph about audiences which can include:

State what category the target audience falls into using NRS categories (A, B, C1 or C2, D, E).

What is the age rating for your actual text? PEGI ratings for games. 

Say why the text is or isn't suitable for certain audiences. 

Remember that young people need to be protected from harmful content that they may otherwise consider to be normal behaviour. Describe what desensitized means if appropriate.

What would the target audience expect when they see the poster?

Expectations depend on what they have seen the stars appear in before, what other texts have the distributors been involved with before?

This leads to....

• A comparison of iconography with another text of the same genre

State what iconography is usually associated with the genre you are dealing with.

Costumes, props, settings, special effects or stars that are associated with that genre.

Say if your text conforms or challenges genre conventions.

Compare your text with another text of the same genre which conforms or challenges the genre conventions.

Go through the visual codes (costume, facial expression, colour, body language, graphics and setting) and the technical codes (Framing and lighting) to see if you can find interesting aspects of your text to discuss.

When you complete these you should discuss representation of males or females and how they are used to give clues about genre.

Other aspects of your text that you need to consider writing about are:

Narrative structure (Todorov, Propp), layout (rule of thirds), the marketing campaign for your text is also important.

Iconography revisited

Learning Objective:
To apply knowledge of iconography to textual investigation 1.

Key terms:
Deconstruction, significant meaning, denotation, connotation, semiology, 

In Media Studies we see iconography as part of genre, and particularly film genre. 
Students need to know the term and how it is used. 
It is quite a complex concept, that informs image analysis and the deconstruction of genre. Iconography originates from the study of art.

In Europe in the15th & 16th centuries artists creating work of a Christian nature would look up reference books to check the colours, composition, hand gestures, poses and facial expressions that past masters traditionally used, because they conveyed the most significant meaning to the ordinary person. 
These meaningful images came to be known as iconic, and their use is iconography.

For example most paintings of the Madonna, including modern ones, show her in a robe of deep blue. The Virgin wears a blue robe, the colour symbolic of heaven and a reminder of the Virgin’s role as Queen of Heaven. This colour came to be an icon for her role as a spiritual mother who has dignity and religious importance. The blue robe is part of the iconography of this form of art throughout the centuries.

Definition

The visual images and symbols used in a work of art. The signs we associate with particular genres.

Steve Campsall’s definition of iconography is useful. ‘Iconography is an important aspect of genre. We expect to see certain objects on screen when we see a particular genre, for example, in a Western, dusty lonely roads, saloon bars, cowboy hats and horses, jails, sheriffs badges, guns, etc.. 

In a modern horror film, we expect young girls, ‘normal’ objects, use of dark and light, etc. These ‘genre indicators’ are called the iconography of the mise-en-scene or genre.’

So iconography can be defined as the signs we associate with particular genres.

Film producers use images that belong to the iconography of the genre to excite audience expectations, and to show that the film is within a certain genre. If you wanted to see a comfortable rom-com you would not go and see Prom Night, but if you wanted to be scared then this should do the trick.

Another way of putting it is to say that genre can be identified by the look of the images in the text – this is the iconography, or the signs, that are associated with a genre. Iconography includes a wide range of ‘signs

To become part of the iconography of a genre, a pattern of visual signs remain constant in that genre over a period of time. 
Some of the things that make up genre iconography include:

Costume

• Cowboys wear ten gallon hats;
• Characters in costume dramas wear wigs and historic costumes;
• Tough guys in thrillers wear black leather jackets;
• In high school movies everyone wears colourful ,tight T shirts, sneakers and some wear hoodies.

Task 1: write in your orange books a detailed description of the costumes associated with the genre you are dealing with in your first textual investigation. Be specific and give other, related examples.

Settings

Thrillers are set in challenging urban neighbourhoods found in big cities such as LA or New York. Horror movies since Halloween (1978) tend to be set in typically quiet suburban settings. 
Sci-fi films inhabit futuristic cities with flying cars, adverts in the sky (e.g. Bladerunner), and high tech interiors.

Task 2: write in your orange books a detailed description of the settings associated with the genre you are dealing with in your first textual investigation. Be specific and give other, related examples.

Stars

Some film stars can be an important part of a film’s iconography, and carry their own iconographic meanings.

This was perhaps more evident in the past where stars like John Wayne are always associated with Westerns. 
Modern stars such as Clint Eastwood carry the iconographic meaning of the loner against the world. 

stars create expectations of character and action, genre, and powerful iconic representations of such as masculinity and femininity.’

Task 3: write in your orange books a detailed description of the stars associated with the genre you are dealing with in your first textual investigation. Be specific and give other, related examples.

Props

These are the movable objects that are so important to many movies.

Gangster films must have guns.

Classic gangster films have a certain form of gun – the violin case machine gun.

Characters in Westerns carry classic Colt revolvers, or the Winchester rifle.

Police and thrillers use expensive multi-shot shiny hand guns.

Cars are important for what they signify in a film.

Large American gas guzzling V8 saloons can signify the freedom of the open road, as well as escape, and refuge.

Cars can be an extension of a character’s personality as well as a device to create excitement and thrills, or to reinforce a message about their lifestyle. 

Task 4: Write in your orange books a detailed description of the props associated with the genre you are dealing with in your first textual investigation. Be specific and give other, related examples.

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Signs and Signifiers

When we look at the iconography of a film we are looking at the way certain images convey layers of meaning – in other words there is much more meaning than is at first apparent. 
The science of how meaning is created by signs is called semiotics, from the Greek word semeion meaning sign. 

Semiotics is the study of signs, symbols and sign systems, and their meanings. Semiotics is a way of explaining how we make meaning in a text. But meaning is not just what you read or see.

Semiotics tells us that all meaning is encoded in objects and images that create meaning.

The word ‘love’ can be seen as the sign of an idea that encodes many different meanings. 
As you read the word you interpret it’s meaning according to who you are, your education and your cultural values, and the context that the word is in. We learn to decode this meaning as we grow up and are educated. Our understanding of the meaning of the word love depends, to a certain extent, on what other people over the centuries have already decided it means. 

Task 5:

1. How would you interpret the representation of elderly people in this picture? Think, Pair share.

2. Write in your orange books a list stereotypes of the elderly.

Semiotics

In semiotics, a sign is the smallest amount of meaning we can decode, and which also contributes to overall meaning.

For example, in the way you dress each day you encode an ensemble of signs to create a meaning. This might be a ‘designer’ meaning suggesting wealth and power, or a street-cred meaning suggesting an anti establishment attitude or just person taste.

 If all this sounds very complicated look at it this way – a sign has more than one meaning especially when it is in a media text such as a film.

Meaning works in two distinct ways.

1. A sign has a basic meaning literal meaning – for example – a poppy is a flower. This is called its denotation.

2. A sign can also have another second meaning related to something completely different, which is often related to its context. This is called its connotation.

If you put the poppy in a field with another sign which has many meanings such as a cross, you have an overall image with multiple meanings. 

In the above example: the poppy is a sign which when added to the sign of a cross connotates the cultural code of remembrance for those killed in war, particularly the first World War.

In November in the UK the red poppy on its own has connotations. 
Many people wear a poppy as a sign to connote that they share in the grief for those fallen in war. 
In another culture, the poppy sign could be interpreted quite differently.

We can say that the poppy is a flower but it has a connotation which is the extra meaning brought to the image through the cultural values of the reader. 

In semiotics, a code is any group of signs that seem to go together to create an overall unit of meaning. So the poppy and the cross are a code. See:http://www.greatwar.co.uk/article/remembrance-poppy.htm

Semiotics Theory

Iconic signs and codes are created to represent the thing itself so that an image of a mafia gangster looks like, or signifies, a mafia gangster.

Iconic codes also work to create extra meaning so that when we see an image of a gangster we associate it with meanings of lawlessness, of a person involved in drug dealing to get money, a dangerous person who will kill, and who our culture identifies as a definite ‘threat to society’. 

Indexical signs are different. They work by indirectly suggesting a meaning by 'prodding' our existing knowledge and understanding.

For example a heart shape signifies romance suggesting love between two people. The heart shape has no meaning in itself, except to symbolise love. Indexical codes are a type of media shorthand which can be seen everywhere in advertising and in the way signs are used to give us information such as road signs.

Symbolic codes act as signifiers of meaning which are not remotely the same as what they actually look like (what they denote).

Often in a film the bad guy wears all black, and this is to symbolise evil.

An all black outfit may also suggest ‘cool’. 
Both meanings have nothing really to do with the clothes themselves.

In comedy sketches a burglar may wear a striped shirt, a mask, and carry a bag marked swag – we all know that this costume symbolises a comic burglar – it works as a short hand for the audience– but why the striped shirt symbolises a burglar is an interesting question.

Theorists in Semiology tell us that the meaning a code communicates is always culturally determined.  This means that we learn codes and symbols as we grow up according to our society and culture.

Well known buildings can connote much more than the image of a large building.

Task 7: (Homework)
Look at this picture of Buckingham Palace. List the connotations about England?

The picture is of Buckingham Palace in London England, the official home of the Monarch. suggests that England  is a stable country with a well respected ruling king or Queen, who comes from a tradition of established monarchy but is not dominated by the monarch – compare this quite discrete palace to any one of Saddam Hussein’s many enormous palaces.

Somehow this picture represents aspects of Great Britain that are attractive to people from abroad. It also connotes patriotism and pride to many English people. Many well known buildings work hard to express a variety of connotations – can you think of any other famous buildings that symbolise more than just the use of building.

Write down three other buildings that are iconic and say what the connotations are about the location.
for example:

• The Eiffel Tower in Paris has connotations of all things French, especially romance as the French are stereotypically a romantic people and Paris is known as the City of love. The Eiffel tower on a film poster might suggest the text is a love story or a romantic comedy.

We automatically recognise iconography but as media studies students you should be using semiotics to enrich your enjoyment of the media.

Now apply your knowledge of iconography to your textual investigation.

Assessment task

Year 10 GCSE Media Studies.

Answer the following questions in your orange books.

This is an assessment task but you may use the Media studies blog to help with your answers. No talking!

1. What types of film posters are there?

2. What are the visual codes used on film posters?

3. What is iconography and why is it used?

4. What do we mean by the term stereotype?

5. What do we mean by taglines? Write two well known taglines used to promote feature films.

6. Write down as many elements of film posters as you can.

7. How do audiences keep up to date with their favourite celebrities?

8. State the five stages of Todorov’s equilibrium theory

9. Write down as many characters as set out by Propp.

10. What are the four reasons that audiences will consume a media text according to the Uses and Gratification theory.

11. Write down the five levels of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs.

12. Write and/or draw three camera shot types used in film trailers and say why they have been used.

Year 10 Written task success criteria

Knowledge of the concept of genre/narrative/representation

Awareness of relevant theories

Demonstrates knowledge of the convergent nature of contemporary media

Use of media terminology/key words

Quality of written communication