Scriptwriting

Learning objective: To produce a correctly formatted script for a short film.

Key terms: Interweaving plot strands: Some television dramas include three or more narratives in their opening sequences and they move the action between these narratives to to keep the audiences'  attention.

An option for a pre-production artefact is a script.
If this is your choice, your research is the same as if you were creating a storyboard for a trailer or an opening sequence.
You should familiarise yourself with the codes and conventions of your selected genre so you can replicate some of them in your script.
You will need to pay particular attention to the dialogue and sound in the examples you analyse.
It is very important that you format your script correctly according to the type of text you are creating.
For example the format of a situation comedy is different to that of a television drama.
You are advised to visit www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom

Task 1: If you have chosen to create a script for your pre production, research the genre of script you are going to write making notes for approval. Spider diagrams are acceptable.

Tips for scriptwriting

Consider the narrative format you intend to use and the codes and conventions of your chosen extract.
The narrative conventions for example of a regular soap opera will be different from a one off BBC drama.

Remember that your aim is to attract and maintain the attention of the audience.
Open your story with an exciting plot situation or narrative. If it is a trailer, choose some dramatic scenes to illustrate the programme/film's narrative.

Ensure that your characters are believable so that the audience will want to know what happens to them therefore stick with your programme. This does not mean that they have to be believable situations. The television drama Life on Mars asked us to believe that a man travelled back in time to the 1970's but the character of Sam Tyler's such that it caught the imagination of the audience who empathised with his plight. Consider how you will create your characters through the script dialogue and brief descriptions. This is how you can approach representation issues.
You can include a supplementary profile as part of your pre-production submission which will allow you to develop your character ideas more fully.

Just like with the storyboard, you need to visualise your script and imagine how it would work when filmed and the lines and actions are carried out by real people. It should not just be a paper exercise.

Consider the structure you will employ. Will it be linear? Will you concentrate on one narrative or introduce a series of interweaving plot strands.

Include recognisable genre conventions to help you to attract your audience.

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Below is information about properly formatted script writing:

Task: Watch the Life on Mars trailer below. Interpret what you can see and compose a script which is properly formatted.

Storyboarding intro

Learning objective: To visualise as section of script to a correctly formatted storyboard.

Codes and conventions of Magazine covers/print

Learning objective: 
To identify codes and conventions of music magazines and apply them to a mock up magazine of your own.within a print based text and using annotation, support your points.

Key words:
House style, Masthead, Shots, Angles, Low key lighting, connotations, Graphics, Manipulation.

Genre specific lexis: Words that an audience would associate with a specific genre. 'Banging' tunes'.
Hyperbole: Over exaggerated language that can make a text seem very good. 
'I've told you a million times'.
Imperatives: Words or phrases that contain a command or an order. 'Get your free gift NOW'.

Magazines also have lots of genres and sub genres. Music magazines are a sub genre but all magazines have codes and conventions that audiences expect to see.

When you create a magazine cover you should look to include the following and consider how these conventions will appeal to your target audience.

Masthead: In publishing refers to the flag, banner or the name of a magazine or newspaper printed in large type at the top of the front page. The masthead should also give a clue to the genre of the magazine. Kerrang for instance is the name of a music magazine and it sounds like a guitar being strummed. If the magazine is well known then the masthead may be obscured by the main image.

Sell line: is information on the cover of a magazine that tells the reader what extra they can get if they buy the magazine. Free gifts or competitions for example.

Cover lines: These usually run down the side and give the reader clues to what is inside the magazine. Their aim is to persuade the reader to buy. Cover lines must link to the genre.

Main image/central image: The main image of a music magazine is usually a picture of a band or artist who is currently popular.

Date, barcode, price: All magazines should include these. The price should reflect the category (a, b, c1 or c2, d, e). of the primary target audience.

A strip along the top of the page: Includes information about more minor articles inside the magazine

Other things to consider:

Mode of address: Magazines often use genre specific lexis. They can make the reader feel exclusive, part of a group. Hyperbole is often used to attract a younger audience.

If the character on the main image is staring straight out at the audience then it is called a direct mode of address.

The layout and design can be formal or informal. This will depend on the house style of the magazine.

Informal layout may include snapshots or paparazzi shots.

Formal layout may include photos that have been set up and taken in a studio.

Colour: Magazines tend to have a house style which is used consistently. This can be created from a limited palette.

Font style and size: This is also related to the genre and can be sophisticated or cartoony, depending on the target audience.

Social media: Links to social media sites such as Facebook or Twitter are important and can prolong a reader's interest in the text.

Here is what an annotated magazine cover looks like with just the codes and conventions indicated:

Task 1: 

Annotate the magazine below using the handout provided. Use the media terminology that you have been using here.

Task 2: 

Using the handout provided, plan the layout of your own music magazine.

This should include as many of the codes and conventions we have discussed as possible.

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Magazines and other print texts

Print texts like magazines, CDs and film posters use the technical codes of framing, editing and lighting to transmit meaning.
These texts are constructed using a range of techniques designed to appeal to an audience.

Layout and design
The way in which a print text is constructed is partly through the technical codes of the text.
The use of colour, font style and text positioning all contribute to the overall style of the publication.
Magazines have a house style that is always used and readers will recognise this and expect it to be consistent.
Readers will recognise for example, the font style used for the masthead and the colour codes.

Camera Shots
The choice of shot on a print text helps to communicate meaning.
A screen shot from a film used on a poster suggests the narrative and genre of the film.
A close up of a performer on a music industry website contributes to their star persona and will attract their fan base.

Lighting
The way in which an image is lit helps to convey a mood.
Moody lighting with high contrast adds drama. Bright, naturalistic light is more friendly.

Low key lighting

High key lighting

Use of Colour
The colours chosen to be incorporated into print texts convey messages about the texts genre and often about the audience who will consume it.
Pastel colours on a CD suggest a particular type of music.
Print based adverts for fragrances convey messages quickly to their audience by using digitally applied colour washes.

Graphics
Logos and graphical representations appear in many forms on print based texts.
Some CD covers and websites, for example do not contain images of the band or artist but use more artistic illustrations or photos which represent the genre of the music.
(See the Cage for Elephant website).

Post production techniques
It is the case in media today that still images are manipulated and enhanced digitally for an effect. In advertising for example, eyelashes are extended and skin is made to loo flawless through the use of digital airbrushing. Models on the front covers of magazines are body brushed to give an unrealistic appearance of perfection.

Task 1: Answer the question:
How do technical codes construct meanings in print text?

Use specific annotated examples to support your points.
You may use magazine or CD covers to annotate.

Codes and conventions of film trailers

Learning Objective: To identify genre conventions within moving image film trailers

Generally in Media Studies, you will need to analyse a text in terms of visual codes, technical codes, and possibly audio codes. These will help to categorise the text in terms of genre.

This categorisation can also include codes of camerawork, Lighting, editing and sound for audio-visual media
and graphic design elements for print-based and interactive media

VISUAL CODES including:

Costume, Clothing, physical appearance, jewellery, hairstyle, make up.
Facial expressions
Colour uses
Body language and gesture 
Graphics
Settings

TECHNICAL CODES including:

Shots – range of shots and why they’re used – wide shots? Close ups? High/low angle shots?

Any camera movement

Editing – the way scenes change from one to the next

The pace of the text – fast? slow? why?

Lighting

Mise en Scene – what’s in the shot.

AUDIO CODES including:

Sound 

Language used

Foley

 Diagetic and non diegetic

Any ambient noise

Voicover

Music

You will deconstruct media texts and find examples of the conventions linked to that genre. 
Key words: Iconography, codes, conventions, deconstruction.
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Iconography – symbolic representation, especially the conventional meanings attached to an image or images

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. 

Task 1: Identify the visual, technical and audio codes that help to categorise these trailers for audiences: 

3 Lists for each of 3 trailers. Orange books.

For legal reasons, the trailer starts with a film rating, stating which audience the film is appropriate for. 

In this case, Inception has been approved for appropriate audiences.
The opening shot begins with the production and company logos on a black screen associated with background music. - Audio code
The trailer cuts into the opening shot of the trailer. The music persists with a slow tempo beat and occasional thud sounds to convey a calm feeling, alongside a serious tone of thud noises to suggest that mystery and action is about to escalate. - Audio code
An extreme close up shot of a male protagonist on the floor in the rain, depicts an image of weakness which is typical of an action thriller. It conveys a theme of hopelessness as the male protagonist is usually being plotted against/in danger. - Technical code
A voice over, of the leading character is used as he looks directly at the camera. - Mode of Address

His tone of voice is serious and concise as he narrates in first person. It directly emphasises his perspective with the viewer. Audio code
Fade in and out shots are numerously used to keep the slow tempo of the music in line with durated film shots. The film shots are situated at daylight, and vary from different location settings such as the streets, public restaurants and inside buildings. Dialogue scenes from the film is also combined in the trailer, to preview scenes from the film. - Technical code
These scenes differ from characters and location, the type of film shots such as panning shots of cars, over the shoulder shots of characters and extreme close up shots of objects and people. - Technical code
During the fade out shots of film scenes, the thud sound from the background music is combined with a zoom out heading , of key information such as starring characters eg Leonardo Dicaprio. This grabs the viewers attention with key information and dramatic music.
During the trailer a light is shone into the main characters face, the shot then cuts into an establishing overview shot of mountains and the music escalades into a louder volume, faster tempo music. This signifies the climax of the trailer as the plotline prevails and insinuates a theme of terror. - Visual code
There is also a thematic dress code of the males in the trailer, they appear to be wearing black suits which can convey a working class that are part of a business or possibly a gang. It suggests further mystery and objects such as a guns are shown in full view shots in the trailer which insinuates plotted murders and a chase evoking. - Visual code
Paranormal shots such as objects twisting and turning adds to the theme of mystery, as the dramatic music and film scenes are combined to infer action. Drowning horn sounds associates with the film titles at the end of the trailer, including the release date and film title. The trailer immediately cuts off after the horn sound, which leaves the audience with questions to answer and a need to see the film.

Conventions of a magazine contents page

Learning Objective: To annotate a magazine contents page with codes and conventions

A magazine ToC doesn't have to be so formulaic. If you can prove through your research and planning that you are aware of the codes and conventions then you might want to challenge them and write about your approach in your evaluation.

Here are some rule breakers:

You are advised to use imagery that you have created yourself when completing Media production coursework.

New year - Coursework exemplar: MS2

Learning objectives: 
You will analyse a range of MS2 exemplar work and familiarise with the marking criteria.

Key words: Pre production. production, report.

When analysing print based media texts there are conventions to assess:

• Visual codes: Colour use. Iconography. 
• Mode of address, is it appropriate for the target audience?
• Language: Hyperbole, direct quotation, subject specific lexis, direct quotations.
• Technical ability: Photography skills, camera shots and angles, composition, rule of thirds for example. Lighting suitability.
• Layout and design: Font style. Masthead, cover lines.
• Conventions: Bar codes, social media links, price.

Task 1: 

Study this example of print based work and discuss in pairs how the submission should be graded.

Candidate B:

Candidate B: Pre-production - DVD cover

Candidate B: Production - 3 Posters

Candidate B: Report

Task 2: 

Individually grade this submission using the handouts provided.

Candidate C:

Pre-production; 2 Posters

Candidate C:

Production; 2 DVD covers

Candidate C:

Report

Task 3: 

Discuss in pairs what you would like to produce for your coursework and for homework complete the form in 

Student share/Media/AS_Coursework Spec and forms.doc

providing information about your proposal.