Research- Real Media Products

LO: To analyse an existing media product considering target audience and representation

What can we note about image, language and camera shot in the media product below?

Image:

Representation-

Effect on audience-

Language:

Representation-

Audience-

Camera shot:

Representation-

Audience-

Starter: Look at the posters below. In pairs, analyse at least one feature of each poster considering representation and target audience.

Features:

Image

Language

Camera shot-type

Helpful vocabulary:suggestsimpliesconnotesemphasisesreflects hintsmeans

Colour:

•Main colours in the advertisement are dark- used to create a negative mood/atmosphere reflecting the subject matter and the feelings of the child who is being abused.

•Bright colours used for cartoon child- stands out against the background and highlights the possible happiness of the child being shattered

Image denotation:

There is a man walking down a staircase towards a child. The man’s face cannot be seen clearly by the audience as it is obscured by the banister. A cartoon child is lying broken and shattered at the bottom of the stairs, as if he has been pushed or thrown by the adult.

Image connotation:

•Man walking down stairs – suggests to audience he is involved in harming the child at the bottom of the stairs – audience feel sympathy and is aware of threat

•Walking toward the child suggests the danger is not over for the child- also he is obscured from sight showing we do not always have an true idea of what is happening in homes

Example Analysis Target audience:•Magazine aimed at children and adults • Maslow’s Theory of needs- adults targeted feel need to nurture - children targeted feel need for affiliation as the charity offers support

What other features of existing magazines could you analyse?

• Use of colour/lighting

• Font

• Language – titles/ slogans/ taglines/ features

• Mise-en-scene

• Image denotation and connotation

• Layout

• Camera shots/ angles

• Target audience

• Mood/message

Mark scheme for the planning section of your practical production

‘Clear understanding of audience needs’

‘Audience needs identified and taken into consideration’

‘Audience identified’

‘Some understanding of audience appeal’

‘Limited’

This mark scheme has been posted on the class blog

Activity: Using the existing magazine front covers you have prepared for homework begin your radial analyses. You should try to aim to complete at least one front cover in this lesson.

You will be given 5 lessons to complete your radial analyses. In total you should have between 2-5 analyses of each of the following: front covers, contents pages, double page spreads

• Use of colour/lighting

• Font

• Language – titles/slogans/taglines/ features

• Mise-en-scene

• Image denotation and connotation

• Layout

• Camera angles/ shot types

• Target audience

• Mood/message

This PowerPoint has been posted on the class blog:

www.10Amediastudies.blogspot.co.uk

Things to consider:

How different features are represented?

How the magazine itself is represented?

What specific audience is being targeted?

How do different features appeal to target audience?

Plenary

Swap seats with a partner.

Read the analysis they have completed. Check it against the mark scheme.

Which level do you think they are meeting at this stage?

Do you have any additional ideas for their analysis?

Feed back to your partner on an additional slide on their analysis. They will use this information next lesson to improve their work.

Homework: Find 3 examples of contents pages from your chosen magazine genre. Bring these to next Wednesday’s lesson- 28th March.

Helpful Hints:

Vocabulary:suggestsimpliesconnotesemphasisesreflects hintsmeans

Appeal to audience:• makes audience sympathetic• engages audience interest with eye-catching colour• interest of the audience fulfilled• familiar to the audience• exciting idea for the audience• visually exciting to the audience

Useful phrases:Target audience are… Appeals to target audience because…The main colour/ image/ word used is…The main colour/ image/ word suggests…Mood created is…

Extension: Remind yourself of Maslow’s theory (Assignment 1). Link this in with relevant features of your radial analysis.

Maslow’s Theory- How advertisements use human needs

In the 1970s Abraham Maslow suggested that human behaviour is focussed on satisfying certain basic types of needs. Media products are designed to show you how buying or using a product can help you satisfy these needs. They may address needs directly, saying “I’ll bet you’re hungry! Have one of these chocolate bars!” Or they may be less obvious, making you identify with the situation in the advert and see yourself in it.Most products appeal to a combination of needs.

•Need to survive – food, drink, housing, etc.Need to feel safe –insurance, loans, security and freedom from threats.Need for affiliation or friendship – focus on lifestyle choices like diet and fashion use people’s desire to be popular. Need to nurture or care for something – anything vulnerable like cute animals and small children bring this out in the audienceNeed to achieve - idea of winning, the need and thrill of succeeding in difficult tasksNeed for attention – beauty products etc playing on the need to be noticed and admired.Need for prominence –people’s need to be respected and to have high social status.Need to dominate –the possibility of being in control through the productNeed to find meaning in life – to people’s need for fulfilment in life e.g. travel