QUESTION 1b CONCEPTS MEDIA LANGUAGE Essay Plan: “Media is communication”. Discuss the ways that you have used media language to create meanings in one of your media products.
Introduction: ● What is media language? How I used media language of the music video and why... Paragraph 1: ● how did I use the language of music video/ how do you know your work is a music video? What codes does it use? To create a conventional video – easy to understand – fun – what would Andrew G say? Paragraph 2: ● Structure and plot, narrative theory... Paragraph 3: ● how have I challenged elements with in genre/media language/ Conclusion: ● how media language helps to create meanings for my music video – easy for audience to understand ● appeals to my target audience and audience pleasures TEACHER COMMENTS
This again fits the needs of the question well, and Goodwin is the right man for the job here. Ensure i(in para3 I guess) that you discuss the specific techniques you used (like those in paragraph 2 plan of your post-production question above, as well as production terms such as focus pull/ ECU/ fisheye, etc etc)
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Comment: Rather than ‘what is media language’, this needs to be ‘what is the language of the medium within which you were working (e.g. music video)’
GENRE Essay Plan: Evaluate the ways in which you have used, developed or challenged the conventions of genre in one production. Introduction: ● music video – for local unsigned band ● What is my genre? hybrid/sub genre etc. ● Christian Metz – appealing to two different audiences Paragraph 1: intertextual concept references and inspired by... Paragraph 2: ● conventions used – how my productions fit genre : identification Paragraph 3: ● developments and challenged conventions: experimental/ parody Conclusion: ● why audience like genre/why producers like genre ● how I have made my video perfect for my target market! Notes: “Genre...is an intertextual concept” Katie Wales Katie Wales idea that genre is a intertextual concept, is appropriate with music videos. Music videos often revel in intertextuality, music conventions or elements to other texts as a way of creating meaning and appeal to the audience. Wales' statement suggests that genre exists in the relationship between texts rather than in the actual texts itself, and in my music video production I reference other texts and conventions of other music videos to establish familiarity for the audience and to help them understand the meanings and representations of my video. Eg. Metronomy, Jeremy Warmsley, Michel Gondry, and Le Tetsuo. “Genre is in a constant process of negotiation and change” David Buckingham Buckingham's statement acknowledges that genres shift and change over time. I would argue that this is vital to understanding music videos, where in order to appeal to the audience and to seem cutting edge and new, the producers have to reinvent and revise generic conventions to create a fresh and appealing but recognisable package product. Christian Metz – Stages of genre In creating my music video I was keen to draw upon familiar generic conventions of the indie rock video, but I also try to develop some of these conventions. In this way, my video can be understood in terms of Christian Metz theory that genres go through stages: the experimental/the classic/the parody/the deconstruction. I would argue that my video utilises enough classic conventions of the genre so to be recognisable as belonging to the indie rock genre, but it also would fit into the parody with some elements within the video creating funny ironic scene, for example the lead singer playing scrabble with his Grandma, and in doing so it develops the genre. In addition, I feel the music video also fits within the experimental stage, as it uses conventions of the new evolving twee genre, through humour and colourful style of the video. Essay Practise:
“Media texts rely on audience knowledge of generic codes and conventions in order for them to create meaning.' Explain how you have used or subverted generic conventions in one of your production pieces. Audiences have expectations from different genres of music videos. Throughout my production of my video, I used various codes and conventions of the genre to make sure my video appealed to my target audience. I made an indie pop music video, for an unsigned band. I was targeting two audiences, an indie rock more mainstream audience, and a twee pop group of young people between 15-20, which made some codes more convention for one group of people than others. Andrew Goodwin's theory that there are conventions that exist within music videos according to the musical genre, for example indie rock videos having performance elements, is a useful way of understanding my video. However, I also tried to develop and experiment with different codes and conventions too. The mixture of both using and developing conventions worked well, and receiving my audience feedback, proved how I had made my video appealing for the audience and how they created meaning easily. Katie Wales theory suggests that genre is an intertextual concept. Reference to other texts in music videos, is a way of creating meaning for the audience. This implies that genre is a relationship between texts rather than in the actual text itself. In my music video, I use references from other music videos from similar genres, and inspiration from other music video directors, which created familiarity for the audience, to help them understand meaning and representations in my video. For instants, I create a 'geek chic' representation of the band members, in a very post modern way, through costume, mise-en-scene and humour, where I was inspired by videos such as 'Metronomy - Thing for me' and 'Jeremy Warmsley - Dancing with the enemy'. With the increase of videos including this post-modern and entertaining silly humour, this enables my audience to appreciate the tone I was creating. Also, elements of performance, referencing Arctic Monkey videos and Fanfarlo, helps the audience identify with the genre, as these bands are similar to the band I was promoting. My video could be understood in the terms of Christian Metz's theory that genres go through stages: the experimental, the classic, the parody, and the deconstruction. I would argue that my video utilises classic conventions of the indie genre, for example; having a mixture of narrative and performance elements. As well, the lead singer being the lead character in the video and singing the lyrics. Moreover, a simple linear narrative, with a fast edited pace to the video. However, I would also argue that my video uses elements of the experimental stage of Metz's theory, such as exploring the twee genre more. For instants, the use of locations, the super market, the grandma's house, and the theme of scrabble. Also, the stage of deconstruction of the indie genre, is also something I tried to experiment with. For example, having a post modern effect, and not creating a serious video, through the scene with the Grandma, the supermarket elements, and the costume and props, such as the recorder and the gum ball machine. I think these elements also reflect the Parody stage that Christian Metz talks about. These are stages which show I have tried to develop and challenge codes and conventions and try new techniques. In conclusion, David Buckingham says ' Genre is in a constant process of negotiation and change.' I agree with this, although I have used many conventions within the two different audiences I was targeting, mainstream indie and a niche twee pop audience, I have also recognised that genres shift and change over time, and Buckingham's statement above acknowledges this. This is vital to understanding music videos, in order to appeal to the audience and seeming cutting-edge and new, producers have to reinvent and revise conventions and techniques in creating music videos to become fresh and appealing but also to create a recognisable package product.” TEACHER COMMENT Great use of theory – really intelligently done, applied well to your own work and debated well. This is confident and strong.
Comment: Effective intro, using Goodwin well Comment: Katie Wales argues that genre is an intertextual concept. (She doesn’t really have a ‘theory’, more of a concept of genre.
Comment: End this paragraph with a sentence that relates to the concept of genre. Eg. Wales’ concept of genre as intertextual, then, is a useful way of understanding how my video appeals to and engages the audience.
Comment: You can’t have them all, don’t be greedy. I think you use classic conventions (as you describe) but that these are used mainly to further the parodic element (parody is a postmodern concept, whereby you take conventions and use them with irony and non-ironic glee (“There’s nothing ironic about showchoir”). I think your video uses indie in this way (classic, but using a postmodern approach of parody). At the same time, I think you are appealing to a twee audience which is embryonic, and thus experimental (the generic conventions don’t fully exist yet, although they have their seeds in Pulp and other artists who’ve used tweegeekdom). I don’t think you deconstruct (you don’t take apart how a music video is made)
Note: what we discussed about Goodwin, and also about how genre for music video is different to genre for film/ TV (eg. It is dictated by the musical genre, rather than genre in terms of sci-fi/ westerns etc). Also, I was expecting a bit more about the concept hybrid genre and how it could be used to understand your video. Explanation/ analysis/ argument – 9 Examples – 9 Terms- 5 Total – 23/25 (A)
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AUDIENCE Notes: REMEMBER TO SAY WHAT WAS YOUR PROJECT! - music video for unsigned band Essay Plan: “Media texts will never be successful unless they are carefully constructed to target established audience needs or desires.” Evaluate the ways that you constructed your media text to target a specific audience. Introduction: ● how useful was the concept of audience in understanding your work ● research – who are my target market? ● Why was it a success ● how I targeted my audience? Paragraph 1: ● narrative: plot – linear narrative//choice of characters – aspiring, identification//binary opposites theory Paragraph 2: audience pleasures: humour – post modern – hidden jokes – ironic mise en scene- choice of objects, actors, locations editing – fish eye and colour tones Paragraph 3: audience feedback – receiving proof it was popular with my audience Conclusion: evaluation of quote – how does it apply to you? Essay Practise: “Media texts will never be successful unless they are carefully constructed to target established audience needs or desires.” Evaluate the ways that you constructed your media text to target a specific audience. My target audience led my decisions about content, mise-scene, editing and camera work, and provided me with a way to understand the appeal of music videos. The concept of audience was key to the development of my year 13 production coursework to create a music video for an unsigned band. Social Group were the band I was creating a music video for, who are part of a hybrid genre, similar to bands such as Envelopes, Why, and Fanfarlo. The catchy, pop, ironic lyrics makes the band far from mainstream indie rock, so I decided to use the hybrid genre to appeal to a niche audience, mainly, who would find this band and video appealing, but also to widen the audience through using generic conventions from indie rock videos, such as Arctic Monkeys. I found out my target audience through researching at the start of year 13 through questionnaires and looking at the bands fan base on Myspace. I also used the findyourtribe site to develop a profile of my target audience, by asking members of my original research group to use the site. I found the majority were 'Indie Scenesters'. The bands said to be liked by Indie Scenesters on the site, were similar to the band I was promoting. I found this model of audience was a more useful way of understanding my band then using genre conventions to understand how to market them. The
Comment: This is good (and could be used in the genre question) Comment: Describe what these people are like.
site argued that 'whereas once it was about monolithic youth tribes...now its more about fluidity, a menu of options', and this idea of niche groups merging together, and the notion of hybridity, seems to be fitting with my plans and way of marketing my band. There are various ways I have constructed my music video to target my specific audience. To start with, through the simple linear narrative, the audience can follow the video clearly and focus on the irony of the lyrics and links between lyrics and visuals. In that respect, I have followed Andrew Goodwin's idea about conventional music video. This is appealing also to my audience as they have a certain level of expectation as to what will happen and will watch on to see if it follows through. The choice of the protagonist being the lead singer of the band, helps the audience connect with the character and also helps the audience identify with his long to retire and also aspire to be in a band like him. Furthermore, the audience get pleasure from the irony an hidden jokes within the film. For example, the choice of the choice of locations such as the supermarket and the singers awkwardness. Also, the scene with the grandma playing scrabble with him and winking at the lead singer. I feel the use of Levi-Strauss theory in my video, about binary opposites, such as old and young, work and joy, rock n roll and twee helps audience create meaning about the text but it also adds to the humour of the music video. In addition the subtle aesthetic techniques such as the use of fish eye lens in performance shots, and the deep warm colour tone, targets my audience perfectly.
Comment: Really well integrated and linked.
Comment: Good integration fo textual analysis and theory.
Comment: How do you know this? Because of other media texts?
My audience feedback showed how carefully targeting my target audience paid off. I received feedback from doing a screening of my music video, where the audience gave opinions to a camera, and also filled out a questionnaire. I also got feedback through social networking sites and Youtube comments. When analysing these reviews, I got a majority of positive feedback, saying it was an entertaining, fun and colourful production, which is what I was going for. A high percentage found the scenes with the grandma and in the supermarket very enjoyable and found it very funny. I also received feedback from the band saying they felt this portrayed them well, and they also enjoyed it, and they were pleased with the feedback from their fans. Furthermore, an email asking to use my video to promote a local music night, shows how well I have targeted the band and their style of music, which was brilliant. All in all, to a degree I agree that media texts will never be successful unless they are carefully constructed to target established audience's needs and desires. Ien Ang argued that 'Audience hood is becoming an even more multi faced, fragmented and diversified repertoire of practises and experiences', and I feel that this is particularly important to understand my target audience. Whilst I have aimed at a niche audience, I have tried not to segregate but rather widen the group through hybridity. My audience research through sites such as UK tribes suggests that audiences are becoming more and more fluid and fragmented, and that they do not always belong to one subculture in constructing their own relationship with a media text, and I hope I show this through my music video. TEACHER COMMENTS Excellent use of terms to discuss the concept. Really well linked to your own work. Consider/ evaluate the usefulness of different audience models: demographics versus psychographics versus findyourtribe – which of these models is most useful to understanding your audience? Explanation/ analysis/ argument – 9 Examples – 8 Terms- 5 Total – 22 (A)
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Comment: Good – I’m glad to see you bring it back to the quote in the question. This is a good technique for this part of the exam.
NARRATIVE – BEING MARKED ●
Claude Levi-Strauss – stories structured around pairs which audience use to make meaning of a text.
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Tzetvan Todorov's theory that narrative follows 'Equilibrium – disequilibrium – new equilibrium'
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Protagonist/lead character linear narrative – chronological ellipsis resolution/closed text identification/aspiration title page – like film narrative chapter and phases – audience pleasure intertextuality – narrative easy to understanding NOAM CHOMSKY: narrative is built to all humans, life is structured like narrative, which is why we enjoy films and music videos
“Media texts rely on cultural experiences in order for audiences to easily make sense of narratives”. Explain how you used conventional and / or experimental narrative approaches in one of your production pieces.
... REPRESENTATION - HELP Notes: how do I represent different people/places/lifestyles? What am I promoting? Representing? How are the representations in your production the products of your own cultural experience/background/values?
representation of males : geeky, fun, unconventional indie rock band – unconventional compared to the normal male gaze style of most lad rock videos such as Arctic monkeys when they have women dancing around them representation of twee: grandma, scrabble, colours, geek chic, celebrating GEEKS representation of old people: funny, cute, 'not all grandmas are boring moody' Essay Plan: Introduction: Paragraph 1: Paragraph 2: Paragraph 3: Conclusion: