Audience response

Learning objectives:


Key words: Stuart Hall

The positioning of audiences by media texts suggests that the audiences shouls accept the messages contained within the text and decode the text in the way expected by the text's producers. However, audiences do not all respond to the texts in the same way.
They may accept or challenge the messages encoded within the text.
Stuart Hall accepted that audiences were active, not passive and suggested that there were three main ways in which audiences may respond to a media text.

There are a few important things to remember about the three different positions that we can take.

Preferred Reading

Is not just about 'liking' a text - you must understand what the purpose of a text is and agree with its ideologies and the messages it carries.

Oppositional Reading

Is not just 'disliking' a text - there are many reasons why someone may take an oppositional reading - but whatever these reasons are, the audience member must understand what the intentions of the text are, but reject them.

Negotiated Reading

Can be the case whereby an audience member agrees with some ideologies and not others, but it can also be the case where the audience doesn't fully understand the intentions of the text - or is confused about the purpose of the text.

Task 1:

Discuss reasons for the three different possible readings of the Trailer below.

* This can be a specific example for discussion in the exam

Learning objectives:


Key words: Stuart Hall

The positioning of audiences by media texts suggests that the audiences shouls accept the messages contained within the text and decode the text in the way expected by the text's producers. However, audiences do not all respond to the texts in the same way.
They may accept or challenge the messages encoded within the text.
Stuart Hall accepted that audiences were active, not passive and suggested that there were three main ways in which audiences may respond to a media text.

There are a few important things to remember about the three different positions that we can take.

Preferred Reading

Is not just about 'liking' a text - you must understand what the purpose of a text is and agree with its ideologies and the messages it carries.

Oppositional Reading

Is not just 'disliking' a text - there are many reasons why someone may take an oppositional reading - but whatever these reasons are, the audience member must understand what the intentions of the text are, but reject them.

Negotiated Reading

Can be the case whereby an audience member agrees with some ideologies and not others, but it can also be the case where the audience doesn't fully understand the intentions of the text - or is confused about the purpose of the text.

Task 1:

Discuss reasons for the three different possible readings of the trailer below.

Bullet points.
* This text can be one of your specific examples for the exam.

Candidates are expected to refer to three texts within each answer but it is not expected that the texts will be referred to equally.

Audiences - Positioning

Learning objectives:
To consider how audiences have been positioned in the trailer for the feature film American Sniper.


Key terms: 
Active audience. This describes an audience who responds to and interprets the media texts in different ways and who actively engages with the messages in the ways suggested here.
Passive audiences. This describes an audience that does not engage actively with the text. They are more likely to accept the preferred meaning of the text without challenge.  this also suggests that passive audiences are more likely to be directly affected by the messages contained within the text.

• Encode
• Decode

Audience positioning

Media texts are constructed in order to place audiences in a particular position in relation to that text. Audience positioning concerns the relationship between the text and responses an audience may have to that text.
The producers of the texts encode the text with signs and messages and the audiences decode these messages.
Different audiences will decode the same text in different ways and will therefore have a different response.

The Encoders are those who produce the texts - in the case of a magazine this would involve:

• Editors
• Journalists
• Photographers
• Designers

In question 2C or 3 of the MS1 exam you may be asked to discuss how media texts position audiences.
You must support your points with specific examples.

How do media texts position audiences?

Through the technical codes employed by the text. In a moving image text. the camera shots and angles used place the audience in a particular position.
For example, the use of a close up shot at an emotional time in the narrative may encourage the audience to be sympathetic to that character.
A point of view shot positions the audience as a character and allows them to experience events from that perspective.
This may enhance audience pleasure in the text. However, the positioning may be an uncomfortable one.

For example, the use of an extreme close up shot of a character's face during a tense moment in the narrative may make the audience feel uncomfortable. The camera may take the audience where they do not want to go, for example in a horror film.

Task 1: 
List how you think technical codes used in the trailer for the film American Sniper may position the audience.

MS-2 Report

Report
A report consists of three elements: 

• The research informing the preproduction; 

• A brief indication of the target audience; 

• An evaluation of the production.

The evaluation part of the report should discuss the production’s strengths and 

weaknesses through a comparison with existing media products. 

Candidates who have been working in a group need to base their evaluation on their role –

for example camerawork or editing.

Although there must be a link between pre-production and production, there is
some flexibility in the nature of the tasks which can be set for pre-production and
production.

Film Trailer Conventions

Learning objectives:
To use grids to organise essay structure when analysing stimulus material.

Key words:

The stimulus material for question 1 of your exam may be film trailers or an extract from a film, for example an opening sequence.
Film trailers are an important way for the film industry to market their product.
The purpose is to raise audience expectations so that they will want to go to see the film.

The main codes and conventions are:

The name of the film. This will usually feature prominently in the trailer.
If the film is new then the name may give a clue to the film's genre.
For example Cowboys versus Aliens.

If it is a sequel then the audience will already be aware of the film's genre.
For example Scream 2.

The use of graphics to reinforce the name of the film and its stars. The font style may help to establish the film's genre. Here the name of the film is bold and is surrounded by a dark stormy sky giving connotations of the action and power associated with the word.

The main characters are often introduced using technical codes, for example close ups to establish them in the minds of the audience.

A tagline may give a clue to the genre and the narrative.
The Truth Can't Stay Inside Forever.

Audio codes. 
These may include a theme tune or soundtrack which may be recognisable to an audience. For example the same theme tune was used in all of the Raiders of the Lost Arc films.
There may be sound effects placing the film in a particular genre, for example gun shots, explosions, in an action genre film.
Atmospheric music may be used to create a mood and suggest the film's genre.

The use of voice over.
The purpose of this is to establish continuity between the scenes chosen for the trailer, to establish the narrative and to give promises of pleasure to the audience.

Genre specific lexis.
This helps the audience to know what to expect from the film.

Highlighting the stars that are appearing in the film. This feature is important as some stars tend to appear in specific genres and often the star will be the key selling point of the film.

Editing.
The trailer will be constructed and the best extracts from the film will be selected to attract the audience. The chosen extracts will also establish the narrative strands in the film and may include some of the plot situations. These may be recognisable to the audience who may be familiar with the genre.

These stills from the trailer for Dream House demonstrate that the film is from the thriller/horror genre.

The lighting is low key.
In three of the shots the characters are only lit by lamps and are surrounded by darkness.
The codes of costume and expression represent the family as vulnerable; this is further enhanced by the Mother wearing white in two of the shots. Connotations of innocence and purity.
The iconography of the knife and the close up shot of the scream are genre conventions for this type of film.
The use of the distorted reflection is also a conventional technical code and is enigmatic for the audience.

Enigma codes.
Trailers withhold information from the audience to encourage them to want to watch the film to find the answers. Sometimes rhetorical questions will be asked by the voice over or by words appearing on the screen. For example, 'What if the mystery you were trying to solve was your own?' appears on the trailer for Dream House.
This, combined with the narrative clues, increases the enigma effect for the audience.

Additional information. This may include the release date for the film and certification.

Task 1:
Using the grids you have, identify technical and audio codes within the trailer for Dream house.
Indicate the purpose and effect of the conventions.

Representation of Age

You will research texts dealing with the issue of age and comment on how they have been represented in the media.  Eastenders. Skins.

·         Key words: Stereotypes, cliché. Representation.

Task 1: Read the notes below and make notes on how different ages are represented in the media.
If Rep of Age comes up in the exam consider how you will:

• Introduce your essay
• The specific texts you will discuss (remember you can discuss the London riots 2011 to)
• What conclusion you will reach with consideration given to Dominant ideology and young people.

AGE ON TV

The representation of people of different ages has changed massively over the years.  Up until the 1950’s, there were really only two age groups shown in films and television (adult and child).  This was because that most children left school at a young age and went straight to work and became adults.  

In the 1950’s more young people started staying in education and began leading very different lives from both children and adults and so developed the idea of the “teenager”.

Having said that, there are still some stereotypes associated with different ages:

·      Children – often shown as being young, innocent, naive, pure, sweet, helpless, powerless.

Childhood
British children are often depicted in the British media in positive ways. Content
analyses of media products suggest that eight stereotypes of children are
frequently used by the media.

• As victims of horrendous crimes – some critics of the media have suggested that White children who are victims of crime get more media attention than adults or children from ethnic minority backgrounds.
• As cute – this is a common stereotype found in television commercials for baby products or toilet rolls.
• As little devils – another common stereotype especially found in drama and comedy, e.g. Bart Simpson.
• As brilliant – perhaps as child prodigies or as heroes for saving the life of an adult.
• As brave little angels – suffering from a long-term terminal disease or disability.
• As accessories – stories about celebrities such as Madonna, Angelina Jolie or the Beckhams may focus on how their children humanise them.
• As modern – the media may focus on how children ‘these days’ know so much more ‘at their age’ than previous generations of children.
• As active consumers – television commercials portray children as having a consumer appetite for toys and games. Some family sociologists note that this has led to the emergence of a new family pressure, ‘pester power’, the power of children to train or manipulate their parents to spend money on consumer goods that will increase the children’s status in the eyes of their peers.

·      Teenagers – Often shown as being aggressive, moody, lazy, criminals, hate school.

      It is significant when discussing the films to emphasise that they are representing working class youth, rather than youth generally. Middle class youths are absent from these type of representations.

There is a whole media industry aimed at socially constructing youth in terms of lifestyle and identity. Magazines are produced specifically for young people. Record companies, Internet music download sites, mobile telephone companies and radio stations all specifically target and attempt to shape the musical tastes of young people. Networking sites on the Internet, such as Facebook, Bebo and MySpace, allow youth to project their identities around the world.

Youth are often portrayed by news media as a social problem, as immoral or anti-authority and consequently constructed as folk devils as part of a moral panic. The majority of moral panics since the 1950s have been manufactured around concerns about young people’s behaviour, such as their membership of specific ‘deviant’ sub-cultures (e.g., teddy boys, hoodies) or because their behaviour (e.g., drug taking or binge drinking) has attracted the disapproval of those in authority.

Representation of teenagers. BBC article Oct 14

·      20’s-30’s – Often shown as the ideal age for love, parties, fun, making money, being glamorous and attractive.  In films the heroes are often this age group.

·      Middle Aged – often shown as being past it, unattractive, not aware of popular culture, uncool, boring lives, dominant over others, no real connection to their kids, grumpy.  In films the villains are often from this age group.

·      Elderly – often shown as being unattractive, slow, weak, ill, confused, pathetic, powerless, not important, dependent on others.

Sociological studies show that when the elderly do appear in the media, they tend to be portrayed in the following one-dimensional ways.

• As grumpy – conservative, stubborn and resistant to social change.
• As mentally challenged – suffering from declining mental functions.
• As dependent – helpless and dependent on other younger members of the family or society.
• As a burden – as an economic burden on society (in terms of the costs of pensions and health care to the younger generation) and/or as a physical and social burden on younger members of their families (who have to worry about or care for them).
• As enjoying a second childhood – as reliving their adolescence and engaging in activities that they have always longed to do before they die.

When considering age in a clip, you should be thinking about the following things:

• ·       Can I identify what approximate age the characters are?
• ·      Are people from different age groups shown as having different interests, personalities,      attitudes, behaviours?  If so, how?
• ·      Is their age represented as being important in their life?
• ·      Are people from particular age groups portrayed as being better, more powerful, than others?
• ·      Are people from particular age groups portrayed as being abnormal /weaker/ more pathetic than others? 
• ·      How do other characters in the clip treat the characters from different age groups?
• ·      What is the message the clip is trying to portray about age?

      Clips with examples of age

Task 2: 

Watch all the clips below, choose one text only to write 200 words about how age has been represented.
You will be asked about specific examples in the exam so if Rep of Age comes up you will have this to discuss.

  

Task 3: How would you say youth represented in this still from Waterloo Road? Consider the visual codes we have covered. 

Representation of Ethnicity

L.O: To research texts dealing with the issue of ethnicity and to comment on how they have been represented in the media.

If you have trouble with the links below then find alternative clips of the same text.

Key words: Stereotypes, cliché. Representation.

ETHNICITY ON TV

            

Martha From Dr Who

     The representation of people from different ethnicities has changed massively over the years.  This is probably because the population in Britain has become much more diverse recently and current society is much more used to mixing with people from all different cultures and backgrounds. 

      Here are some examples of very negative generic stereotypes that used to be seen (and in some case still are) in film and tv:

·      White people – often shown as good, pure, heroes, strong, or sometimes racist.

Michael Caine

·      Black people – often shown as exotic, strange, tribal, criminal, poor.

City of God

·      Asian people (Chinese, Korean etc) – often shown mainly as intelligent, submissive (quiet and shy), 'nerdy', interested in technology. Very under-represented.

Hikaru Sulu (Star Trek)

·      Indian people – often shown as being poor, living in large families, very traditional, working in corner  shops

Sikhs

·      Middle Eastern people (arabs etc) – often shown as being terrorists, violent, aggressive, rich

Islamaphobia

·      Immigrants – often shown as being a drain on society, criminals, illegal, bad for Britain, taking British   jobs.

      In TV drama, people from particular ethnicities often have storylines that are centred around their culture.  For example, Indian characters often battle with the clash between British culture and their traditional culture eg: arranged marriages etc. They rarely have storylines that don’t have something to do with their ethnicity.  People also have commented that often people from minority ethnic groups (eg non white) are often portrayed in a very negative way.

    You should consider the following points when watching the clips below:

•        Can I identify what ethnicities the characters/people are? How?
•       Are people from different ethnic backgrounds shown as having different interests, personalities,  attitudes or behaviours? If so, how?
•       Is their ethnicity represented as being the most important thing in their life?
•       Are people from particular ethnicities portrayed as being better, more powerful, than others?
•       Are people from particular ethnicities portrayed as being abnormal /weaker/ more pathetic than  others? 
•      How do other characters in the clip treat the characters from different ethnic backgrounds?
•      What is the message the clip is trying to portray about ethnicity?   

Task 1: Watch the two clips below and write about how people/characters with different ethnicity have been represented. Use the bullet points above but also ask if the stereotypes are positive or negative. Do the characters challenge or conform?

    Eastenders: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y094LCAUMTo 

    Spooks http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HjwvCoiKZ-8

Task 2:
Analyse the clip from Hotel Babylon and consider the points below the link.

    Hotel Babylon http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7VG5GJQjyGo

•    How are the illegal immigrants represented in the extract?
•    How are the Police represented in the extract?
•    Who are the audience encouraged to empathise with?  

Ben from Hotel Babylon

Representation of women

L.O: To consider how text producers think about gender before targeting their audience.

Key words: Feminism. Post feminism

This relates to the representation of gender video we watched and discussed last week Media's portrayal of gender roles.

Task 1: View the slideshow below and make notes.

Task 2: In pairs, discuss 'gender labels'.  List key words to describe men and women. (slide 6)

Task 3: See slides 12-16. 
Answer the question using the relevant images; "what roles are women offered by the ads shown?"

Representation of gender - Women