A Level Media: 2018

Tuesday, 19 June 2018

Explain how representations in adverts are constructed, and how they reflect the social and cultural contexts in which they were made.

Look at Camera, Mise En Scene, Representation of people, places, themes, emotions…

All in all, there a number of devices which make use of different techniques and themes in order to make a viewer feel the emotions of wanting to be in a positive place/holiday.

Camera:

The shot is a level mid shot, as it allows us to get a full view of the scene. The shot also allows us to see the man becoming the island, with enough distance to fully showcase the detail. The level shot suggests to in relation to Old Spice, we are equal and anyone can use it and feel the same way. People like tropical islands and beaches – the man becoming one after using Old Spice suggests his smell could create a sense of relaxation and want. It depicts him as fresh and exotic.

There is a significant level of detail and action which is happening on the ‘island’. For example, all of the colours contained on and around him are ones which resemble the whole theme of ‘paradise’ and create the beach scene within the viewer’s mind. Activities which take place on the central image include swimming, a volcano and sunbathing, all of which can be associated with the feelings and emotions associated with being on holiday. This is a positive experience for most, and provides a ‘lust’ for the viewing audience. Furthermore, ethnicity of Isiah Mustafa can also make the viewer feel as if they’re in a completely different place to what they usually are in, and consists of new and interesting discoveries in a faraway place.

Moreover, there is high-key lighting used for this advert, which creates an uplifting and positive atmosphere. This could highlight that everyone should be seen in a positive way and we should all have a positive outlook on everyone with various ethnicity’s and different cultural backgrounds. The actor himself is well-known, which ensures that more people would pay attention to the product and become more intrigued to buy it. It could further represent and suggest a representation of looking and becoming like Mustafa if you use the product. If a person has a positive look on the actor, then they will feel more inclined and happy to purchase the product. A representation of masculinity and power is shown through the use of the actor.

Also, the text is in white and stands out form the background, which makes it easier to read and focus on. The use of capital letters states importance of the product and reinforces to notion to purchase it and try it out.

In conclusion, through the use of humour, we see Mustufa’s mocking confident facial expression which every man could aspire too be like. So could also show that with this scent you will not only look like him but smell and gain the personality too.

Thursday, 10 May 2018

Corinne Bailey Rae - Stop Where You Are from SianField81

Tuesday, 8 May 2018

A-Level Media NEA Blog

http://gbhskylenea.blogspot.co.uk/

Wednesday, 28 March 2018

Lucozade Sport Research Task

Points to cover

History of the brand

Lucozade, (originally named Glucozade until 2 years after first release in 1927), started out as a sparkling drink made by Thomas Beecham; derived from glucose syrup to provide energy to those who are ill. Small sales were made with minor changes. This was until 1985 when Lucozade rebranded from "Lucozade - aids recovery" to "Lucozade - replaces lost energy". The change from a health drink to an everyday drink dramatically increased sales. Lucozade tablets were released the same year.

Aims of the campaign

Using the strapline "Hydrates and fuels you better than water", the 'I Believe' campaign plans to push owner GlaxoSmithKline (GSK)'s association with sport. The advert also fronted by controversial footballer Gareth Bale, who at the time had a record transfer from Tottenham Hotspur to Real Madrid, further increasing relevance of the advert.

The athletes involved are being used to showcase the claim that Lucozade Sport does in fact live up to the strapline, and 'believe' that it helps improve endurance performance before and during matches.

Dates and times of the campaign

Launched February 2013 ahead of the Six Nations rugby tournament, featuring England's Chris Robshaw, Scotland's Richie Gray and Wales's Leigh Halfpenny., Banned January 2014.

Use of social media

The ad was mainly used over TV and posters, however Social Media such as Facebook and Twitter were used alongside.

Choose another Lucozade campaign and summarise the campaign

Find Your Flow - a £14m brand repositioning campaign and Lucozade Energy's largest ever - aims to shake up the soft drinks industry and reshape people’s perceptions of the drink. Encouraging people to drink Lucozade Energy in situations beyond just hangovers and illness, we created a new brand positioning and strapline for the soft drink. Find Your Flow positions the drink as an ally to busy people who want to enjoy a full life, an idea that flies in the face of the energy category of high-adrenaline junkie quick hits, crashes and burns.

●Aim of the print advert?

The aim is to showcase the Lucozade Sport drink, and how it is supported by Athletes who 'believe' the slogan "Hydrates and fuels you better than water".

●Media language (mediation) Go back to

the Calvin Klein notes/slide

●Representation of males

The representation of males is mixed, as it showcases athletes, who look focused, strong and ready to work. However, it could be argued that, (especially in the video advert), it urges males into comparing body types.

●Representation of the brand

It showcases the brand as a sports drink, supporting those who do anything athletic. This is different from the original health or illness drink ideology.

●Psychology, which human needs is it satisfying

The advert is portraying a drink which would satisfy thirst, which makes you want it.

●Is there an ideal world that is being represented?

Yes, that the drink is the key to becoming more successful in athletics or sport, and that water isn't as good for such goals.

●What is the main selling point? Message? What does it want you to believe?

It wants you to believe that the drink is a great source of hydration and that it can energize you to levels you couldn't attain before.

Urls of sites used for research

https://www.thefactsite.com/2009/03/history-of-lucozade.html

https://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/gareth-bale-fronts-4m-i-believe-lucozade-campaign/1193260

https://www.theguardian.com/media/2014/jan/08/lucozade-sport-campaign-gareth-bale-banned-advertising

http://grey.com/london/work/key/lz-find-your-flow/id/6233/

Friday, 16 February 2018

Media Evaluation

1) What was the task you were given and who was your target audience?
The task we were given was to create a Daily Mail front page based around the sudden marriage call-off between Meghan Markle and Prince Harry, based on an affair Markle had.
2) What research did you undertake and what did you find were some of the typical conventions of a Daily Mail front cover - layout, types of stories, fonts
Research was needed to find the specific spacings and fonts for the Daily Mail frontpage, or atleast a close enough counterpart. Similarly, searching was required to find where to put adverts, what colours should e used and also whether or not to use a picture for the main article.

3) Which Daily Mail cover did you use as your main source? Insert. What are your observations from this source?

Observations are that the newspaper relies on catchy and dominating titles on their front page to catch the eye. Similarly, the contrast in colour from blue to red, black and light purple are quite bold which bring in readers. Similarly, it can also be discerned that the newspaper has a Labour political bias.

4) Which areas did you find most challenging?
The most challenging areas had to have been the conventions of the front cover. The font selection and specific spacings were very difficult to attain, and as such it looks kind of off. For a first draft, however, I feel it is good enough.

5) What was you initial feedback? What did others say about your production? How successful was do you think it is?
Ive gotten feedback on my choice of side articles and text used for the headline etc, with most liking the final product. Personally, I like most of it but I feel that it could be better making it more sharper and professional looking, than a cheap photoshop look.
6) Identify what went well and with hindsight what you do to improve/do differently.
In hindsight, I believe that I could improve by

7) In the exam you will be analysing newspaper front covers. In producing this cover, are there any areas that you hadn't noticed before? What have you learnt from completing this task?

I've learnt that the use of font and pictures is highly important in creating a quality front page. The sizes, spacing, choice of font typically made for the newspaper itself, and using pictures which won't lose quality if resized are imperative for a successful job.

Friday, 2 February 2018

Industry key words

INDUSTRY VOCAB HOMEWORK – DEFINITION AND EXAMPLE, WHAT INDUSTRY MAY IT APPLY TO? UPLOAD TO BLOGS LABEL INDUSTRY, AUDIENCE, VOCABULARY

· BARB

The Broadcasters' Audience Research Board (BARB) is the organization that compiles audience measurement and television ratings in the United Kingdom. ... Participating viewers have a box on top of their TV sets which tracks the programmes they watch.

· WEBCASTING LICENSE

Webcasting usually consists of providing non-interactive linear streams or events. Rights and licensing bodies offer specific "webcasting licenses" to those wishing to carry out Internet broadcasting using copyrighted material.

· TECHNOLOGICAL CONVERGENCE

Technological convergence is the tendency that as technology changes, different technological system sometimes evolve toward performing similar tasks.

· WEB 3.O OR SEMANTIC WEB

a proposed development of the World Wide Web in which data in web pages is structured and tagged in such a way that it can be read directly by computers.

· INTERNET OF THINGS

the interconnection via the Internet of computing devices embedded in everyday objects, enabling them to send and receive data.

· BINGE-VIEWING

watch multiple episodes of (a television programme) in rapid succession, typically by means of DVDs or digital streaming.

· DAB

Digital audio broadcasting (DAB), also known as digital radio and high-definition radio, is audio broadcasting in which analog audio is converted into a digital signal and transmitted on an assigned channel in the AM or (more usually) FM frequency range.
TRADITIONAL MEDIA

Traditional media refers to conventional means of mass communication practiced by various communities and cultures, or embodied in local custom or lore.

· GOOGLE ANALYTICS
Google Analytics is a freemium web analytics service offered by Google that tracks and reports website traffic.

· RAJAR
RAJAR stands for Radio Joint Audience Research and is the official body in charge of measuring radio audiences in the UK.

· NRS
The NRS social grades are a system of demographic classification used in the United Kingdom. They were originally developed by the National Readership Survey (NRS) to classify readers, but are now used by many other organisations for wider applications and have become a standard for market research.

· MIDAS
Service offered by RAJAR.

· CULTURAL IMPERIALISM
The theory states that Western nations dominate the media around the would which in return has a powerful effect on third world cultures by imposing them western views and therefore destroying their native cultures.

· DEMOCRATISATION OF THE MASS MEDIA
Mass media today are regarded as one of the key democratic institutions which are vital in improving the quality of the electoral system, political parties, parliament, judiciary, and other branches of the state, even civil society, and safeguarding their democratic performance.

· EFFECTS OF PIRACY

· HORIZONTAL INTEGRATION
Horizontal integration is the process of a company increasing production of goods or services at the same part of the supply chain.

· VERTICAL INTEGRATION
the combination in one firm of two or more stages of production normally operated by separate firms.

· DIVERSIFICATION
the process of a company enlarging or varying its range of products or field of operation.

· ALTERNATIVE MEDIA AND INDEPENDENT MEDIA
Independent media refers to any form of media, such as radio, television, newspapers or the Internet, that is free of influence by government or corporate interests.

· CONGLOMERATE
a thing consisting of a number of different and distinct parts or items that are grouped together relating to a large corporation.

· GRA

· PEGI
Pan European Game Information (PEGI) is a European video game content rating system established to help European consumers make informed decisions when buying video games or apps through the use of age recommendations and content descriptors.

· MEDIAWATCH UK
Mediawatch-UK (formerly NVLA) is a UK pressure group established by Mary Whitehouse to campaign against the publication or broadcast of material its members find offensive.

· IPSO
The Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO) is the independent regulator for the newspaper and magazine industry in the UK. They hold newspapers and magazines to account for their actions, protect individual rights, uphold high standards of journalism and help to maintain freedom of expression for the press.

· WATERSHED
an event or period marking a turning point in a situation.

· OFCOM
Ofcom is the communications regulator in the UK. They regulate the TV, radio and video-on-demand sectors, fixed-line telecoms (phones), mobiles and postal services, plus the airwaves over which wireless devices operate.

· MEDIAWATCH

· BBC CHARTER
The BBC Charter established the BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation). An accompanying Agreement recognises its editorial independence and sets out its public obligations in detail. Each Charter has run for ten years.

· SYNERGY
the interaction or cooperation of two or more organizations, substances, or other agents to produce a combined effect greater than the sum of their separate effects.

· PSB

· BROADCAST CODE
Ofcom's Broadcasting Code governs what can be aired on TV and radio. It's the rule book for TV channels and radio stations and sets standards for programmes which broadcasters have to follow.

· IWF

Monday, 22 January 2018

Front Page Analysis

1.Who is being represented in this image?

Young, lower class British people are being represented in this image. And while it is not directly presented, it is assumed the representation also includes black people.

2.Are you being given the stereotypical or countertypical image of the person/group? Describe the representation.

The presentation is of the stereotype. This is shown through the clothing, the stance and the smaller details. The clothing is a relatively cheap tracksuit, which is associated with lower class British people, typically in London, informally referred to as 'chavs'. The stance is rather threatening and close together, which makes him seem violent and unapproachable. Finally, the smaller details such as a hidden face and the fact the person is crossing in front of a burning car suggests he creates chaos wherever he goes and either doesn't want to be recognised, or is a metaphor for the amount of faceless people creating 'anarchy'.

3.HOW is this representation being constructed by the media language? – consider camera angles, choice of images, colours, size, mise en scene, etc.

The camera angle shows the whole scene, with careful choices to include the wreckage and flames, and the whole look of the person who 'caused' it. This image creates a sense of fear, that any regular person can cause mayhem, and it also sends messages of the sheer destruction in London at the time. The grey and orange tones of colour, it highlights the flames and evokes even more images of destruction.

4.How is the representation being constructed by the text? – consider word choices, size of text, tone, etc.

The words used are chosen to emphasise the rioting across London. The use of "spread, hit" symbolises the quickly moving violence in the area. On top of this, the "215 arrests, PM jets back", suggest everything is happening quickly and desperately needs the government to intervene. Finally, the use of "mindless violence" in large red text, with the large, dominant title of "anarchy" portray the idea that everything is horrible and going mad, (whereas it wasn't in reality).

5.Does this representation fit with the institutional codes and conventions? Explain your answer. – think about institution, audience, tabloid/broadsheet, etc.

The Sun is a red-top tabloid. This means that it relies on eye-catching front pages, done through colour, word choice, font etc. to attract buyers. This representation fits this ideology as the bright flame with "ANARCHY" dominating the page attracts attention to what the paper is covering. Similarly, the word choice used such as "hit, jets, riots spread" makes the scene sound worse than it is, continuing the trend that tabloids rely on gossip and fear-mongering.