13 minute read
TA1: The media industry
What you need to know
• The traditional media sectors • The product types in the traditional media sectors.
Traditional media sectors date back to a time before the invention of computers. Products created in the traditional media sectors can be used in other, larger media products or can stand alone.
What is traditional media? • Film, television (TV), radio and print publishing are the four main traditional media sectors. • Traditional media products were originally produced using non-digital methods. Product types in the traditional media sectors
Traditional media sectors Video Audio Music Animation Special effects (SFX/VFX) Comics and graphic novels
Traditional media product types Television Film Print publishing Radio These traditional media products can also be used in the new media sectors. DRAFT • There are four different traditional media sectors. • There are six different media product types that are created within those sectors.
Revise it! Remember it!
Pick five different real-world examples of traditional media products, then identify which traditional media sector they are from and which sectors they could be used in. You could write a summary, create an infographic, draw a mind map or even record yourself discussing each traditional media product.
What you need to know
• The many ways in which traditional media sectors are evolving • How developments in technology have enabled this to happen.
Although traditional media sectors started out without the use of computers and the internet, they now make use of digital technology in all phases of a product’s development.
What does ‘evolve’ mean?
To evolve means to change or develop, often in a positive way. When a media sector evolves it generally means that it can do new things in different ways. Developments in the traditional media sectors There have been many improvements to traditional media because of developments in digital technology. New technologies have also evolved which have changed the nature of traditional media products. Production phases Examples of improvements made Examples of technology that has evolved
Pre-production Ideas and planning are quicker and easier (e.g. print publishing – a flat plan for a magazine can be easily created and amended on word-processing software or using online planning tools) Software has been developed to allow people to collaborate on storyboarding apps and project planning websites..
Production Quality and speed of the creation of products have improved (e.g. TV – digital animation has made animations much quicker to create) Post-production can be completed more quickly, and it is much easier to make changes using digital technology. eg. a digital video clip can be cut and reattached multiple times, in a way that physical film could not
Distribution Using new technology to reach new audiences (e.g. radio – on-demand apps have been created so that listeners can listen to what they want, whenever they want)
Streaming technology on computers and smart devices has meant that people have much more access to their favourite TV programmes and can watch them on demand. Sound and audio equipment (e.g. film – music can be created and recorded for a film scene much more easily using digital technology) CGI editing and technology (e.g. film/TV – scenes with hundreds of people in can now be created using CGI instead of needing (extras)) Post-productionDRAFT
Revise it!
Create a table that shows examples of improvements in each of the phases of product development. • In the first column, write each phase. • In the second column, write an example: Example: Pre-production/storyboarding apps.
Remember it!
• Evolving means changing and developing. • Traditional media sectors have developed their practices using new technology and equipment. • Quality and speed of planning and production have improved. Speed of distribution has been improved too.
What you need to know
• What the new media sectors are • What products sit in the new media sectors.
New media sectors are those that have been introduced because of the invention of computers and the internet. They are always evolving because digital technology is constantly improving and developing.
New media sectors Internet, computer games, interactive media and digital publishing are the four main new media sectors that have developed digitally. Product types in the new media sectors New media sectors New media product types Interactive media Computer games Digital publishing Internet eBooks (D) Digital games (C) Websites (I) Multimedia (C and IM) Augmented reality (AR) (C and IM) Virtual reality (VR) (C and IM) Digital imaging and graphics (All) Social media platforms/apps (IM and I) Technological convergence • The sectors of the media industry have evolved in part due to technological convergence • Technological convergence is where multiple types of digital technology come together on a single device/platform, for example, in smartphones. • It has led to larger numbers of consumers being able to access a wide variety of both traditional and new media products in more ways and more easily than ever before. DRAFT . • There are four new media sectors. • They came about due to developments in digital technology and equipment. • New media sectors are always evolving due to the technology and equipment they use.
Revise it!
Create a spider diagram that shows all the different types of digital technology and equipment that have now converged within new media product types.
Remember it!
What you need to know
• The many different products that are created by the media industry • Examples of these products.
The success of a final media product is important for those working in the media industry. It needs to be accessible and engaging for the target audience.
Radio programmes TV programmes Jingles Podcasts Animated banners Soundtracks Websites Informational e-commerce Video TV programmes Films Multimedia Information kiosks Presentations
Special effects (SFX/VFX) Models Green screen Augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR)
Computer games Immersive education
Comics and graphic novels Graphic novels Children’s comics Digital imaging and graphics Book covers Billboards eBooks Fiction Instruction booklets
Media product types and examples DRAFT
Revise it!
• Write out all the media product types and examples above on individual sticky notes. • Stick them all on a wall, jumbled up. • Match the examples to the product types.
Remember it!
• There are eleven different types of media product. • There are many different examples of each media product type. • These products can contain a mixture of elements from different media sectors.
What you need to know
• A product has a journey to go on from an initial idea all the way through to distribution • This production journey is broken down into phases.
A media product will begin as an idea in response to a client brief and will end as a finished product that is distributed to the target audiences for them to access. This happens through the different phases or stages of product development.
Phases of production
Pre-production Production • Equipment is used • Technical staff are needed • The different parts of the product are created
Post-production Distribution
• Starts with product design ideas • Also includes research and planning • The parts of the product are put together in a meaningful way • Changes and edits are made to add meaning • The product is exported into appropriate file types • It is then distributed in different ways to the target audiences DRAFT
Revise it!
• Choose a media product and put it in a box at the top of the page. Draw four boxes leading from it and label each one with a phase of production. Fill each box with the activities that would happen during each phase to create and distribute the product.
Remember it!
• There are four key phases to product development. • Each phase contains different activities that need to happen before the next phase can start.
What you need to know
• The types of creative job roles available in the media industry • The responsibilities of these creative roles and the phases in which they would be needed.
If you are in a creative role, your job will be to produce ideas and develop them to help create a product for the target audience in the pre-production and production phases.
Job roles • animator • web designer • script writer • photographer • illustrator/graphic artist • graphic designer • copy writer • content creator Phases
• pre-production • production • If you are working in a small organisation or on a very small project, it may be that Responsibilities you would take on more than one creative role, or even take on technical and/or senior roles as well. People working in this way need to be multi-skilled.
• preparing drafts • researching competition • researching target audiences • communicating ideas • liaising with clients to meet requirements Practise it! Remember it! DRAFT 1 In which two phases of media production would a creative job role be needed? (2 marks) 2 What does a web designer do? (2 marks) 3 Which job roles would be necessary for the development of an animated film and why would they be necessary? (8 marks) • There are eight different creative roles. • Responsibilities held by the creatives will be different to those held by the technical team and those in senior roles. • Smaller companies or projects may well need someone to take on more than one role.
What you need to know
• The types of technical job roles available in the media industry • The responsibilities of these technical roles and the phases in which they would be needed.
If you are in a technical role, you will be using technology and operating equipment to develop, improve and finalise media products.
Job roles • camera operator • games programmer/developer • sound editor • audio technician • video editor • web developer Phases
• production • post-production • If you are working in a small organisation or on a very small project, it may be that you would take on more than one technical role, such as camera Responsibilities operator and video editor. You may also end up as the audio technician. You might alternatively take on creative and/or senior roles alongside your technical role. People working in this way need to be multi-skilled.
• knowing how to use technical equipment • knowing how to use specialist software • creating tests to check that products work • liaising with clients to meet requirements Practise it! Remember it! DRAFT 1 In which phase of media production would the role of camera operator be needed? (1 mark) 2 What does an audio technician do? (2 marks)
3 Name two technical roles that might be needed to support a web design project and explain why they are needed. (4 marks) • There are six different technical roles. • Most of the responsibilities of the technical team relate to hardware and software.
What you need to know
• The types of senior job roles available in the media industry • The responsibilities of these senior roles and the phases in which they would be needed.
If you take on a senior role, then you will oversee the creation and technical development of products and projects.
Phases
Job roles
• pre-production • production • post-production • If you are working in a small organisation or on a very small project, it may be that you would take on Responsibilities more than one senior role, such as creative director and editor. You might also take on a creative or technical role alongside your senior role. People working in this way need to be multi-skilled.
• understanding the target market • developing the concept design from the initial idea • managing a creative and technical team • evaluating the success of products and projects • campaign manager • creative director • director • editor • production manager Practise it! Remember it! DRAFT 1 Name one phase of media production in which the role of director would be needed. (1 mark) 2 What does a creative director do? (2 marks) 3 Name three senior roles that might be needed to support a multi-product advertising project and explain why they are needed. (6 marks) • There are five different senior roles. • The job of those in senior roles is to support and manage the technical and creative roles.
