Why do you consume what you consume?

Why do you consume what you consume?

Please complete the questionnaire.

During the 1960’s people became very used to the presence of TV in their everyday lives. Media theorists from the 1960’s onwards began to believe that audiences didn’t just passively watch or listen to different forms of media. Instead they were very active in their choice of viewing. These theorists believed that audiences selected their own viewing for different reasons and in different ways.

In 1974, two researchers known as Jay Blumler and Elihu Katz, developed these theories further. They believed that people would actively select a ‘text’ for a variety of reasons including:• Diversion – allowing people to escape from their normal, everyday lives.• Personal Relationships - using the media for emotional and other interaction, e.g.

substituting soap operas for family life .• Personal Identity - finding yourself reflected in texts, learning behaviour and values

from texts.• Surveillance - Information which could be useful for living e.g. weather reports,

financial news, holiday bargains.

Uses and Gratification Model

Are you an active or passive audience member?

Based on your questionnaire, do you believe you are an active or passive audience member?

Discuss with your shoulder partner.

What genre do you belong to?

If you were a genre what would you be?Be ready to share your ideas with the whole class?

What is genre?

Are any of you a ‘hybrid’ of genres?

What does it mean?Can you think of any examples?

What genre is being presented here?

Make at least one reference to:

•Choice of font•Choice of colour•Choice of layout•Mise-en-scene•Choice of shot/angle

•Can you make reference to any other genre convention?

Nick Lacey: Repertoire of elementsPut in simple terms, this is basically the conventions of a genre. These

features often help the audience to recognise what they are viewing. Each genre has its own repertoire of elements including props, style,

setting, narrative, iconography, characters and themes.

For example in horror films there is a distinct repertoire of elements.• Iconography: bloody dagger, Halloween mask, silhouettes

• Props: dagger, mask, blood, candles• Style: dark and shadowy lighting, eerie music, sense of fear and

tension• Setting: dark places, haunted, isolated places• Characters: villain, monster, damsel in distress

• Narrative: supernatural, being chased• Themes: fear, isolation, pursuit

Where have we heard this before?Vladamir Propp is a name you should be familiar with. He analysed Russian Fairytales and believed there were 8 characters that existed

within the narratives.They are:

• the villain• the donor(gives the hero some magical object)

• the helper (helps hero in quest)• the princess• her father

• the dispatcher (who sends hero off)• the hero/victim

• the false hero or usurper

What characters appeared in your music videos?

So where is this all going?So...we know what genre is and we know what repertoire of

elements we expect to find in a film or book or music video. Many media theorists believe that genre and our love of

specific genres really draws us to a particular ‘text’ and that when we watch our favourite rock music video or romantic

comedy, we have very clear expectations of the genre and the text and how we should feel about the ‘text’ and as we watch

the ‘text’.

Can you see any links between this idea and what we have studied today?

So let’s think theory...There are 4 key areas that we are going to be considering over

the next few lessons. They are:

• Feminism• Intertextuality

• Steve Neale and his ideas about genre• Rick Altman and his ideas about genre

The key areas:

If you are number 1’s then please go to the yellow tableNumber 2’s please go to the orange table.Number 3’s please go to the green table.

You have 5 minutes to read the text and summarise on your sheet what you have learnt.

The key areas:

You each have 2 minutes to share your ideas.Please record all ideas on your sheet.

Feminism

Goodwin makes references to the way in which women's bodies are presented. He suggests

that it is quite ‘voyeuristic’.

Can you think of any music genre or video that represents women in a powerful manner?

How about a less powerful manner?

How does this link to your work?

Consider both pieces of coursework and consider where the genre theories and

concepts are relevant to your own work. Make notes on the sheets provided.