Parallel sound - Music that matches what you see in the film.
Contrapuntal sound - sound that opposes what you see in the film.
Sound bridge - when the music from one scene goes into the next.
Ambient sound - sound that you expect to hear in a location. For example, traffic.
Foley sound - everyday sounds that are added to a certain clip.
Saturday 26 October 2013
Selective exposure/perception
The basic assumption in the study of selective exposure is that people expose themselves to external stimuli in a selective way. When referred to the area of mass communication, this means that people choose certain types of media content and avoid other types. Although this fact may sound rather trivial, it is important in understanding the effects of mass communication because it is our common understanding that people can only be influenced by media messages to which they actually expose themselves. Therefore, the selective exposure concept emphasizes the active role of the individual in the selection of media content. Research into this phenomenon is undertaken in the fields of both psychology and communication studies. Basically, there are two major trends in this research. Most studies focus on factors that lead to selective exposure or that mediate this process, whereas other studies deal with the consequences of selective exposure to information processing. The selection processes have also been examined in different contexts, such as in political or online communication.
http://www.oxfordbibliographies.com/view/document/obo-9780199756841/obo-9780199756841-0023.xmlSaturday 19 October 2013
What is the purpose of Censorship?
Censorship is the control of the information and ideas circulated within a society, it is used within media to stop the audience from seeing content that they believe is inappropriate. This is seen within the hays code in 1920 where they blocked certain ideas from the audience such as viewing the leg from above the knee, they thought it was unacceptable as this could lead the audience into thinking inappropriately. However now days this idea of revealing the body is no longer an issue and we have unconsciously consumed it to the extent where we don't see a half naked women on fronts of magazines or on t.v as a problem any more as the audience have been desensitised.
However now days the media block certain content that they deem inappropriate/explicit for young viewers by having a time in which certain media can be show; this is known as watershed. Certain genres such as horrors can only be shown after 9.00/10.00 at night this is because it contains horrific acts of violence, blood and gore. Further more within supermarkets on DVD and games they have age limits in which you can buy them and have to provide photographic ID to show that you are the correct age to buy the products.
Censorship is also used within music and music videos, during the day songs with swear words in are often bleeped out whether it's on the radio or TV as they believe swearing is not suitable for a young audience. Although singers at the moment have been using much more explicit content such as violence, nudity, drugs or graphic language in there videos that there is age restrictions on what can be shown.
However now days the media block certain content that they deem inappropriate/explicit for young viewers by having a time in which certain media can be show; this is known as watershed. Certain genres such as horrors can only be shown after 9.00/10.00 at night this is because it contains horrific acts of violence, blood and gore. Further more within supermarkets on DVD and games they have age limits in which you can buy them and have to provide photographic ID to show that you are the correct age to buy the products.
Censorship is also used within music and music videos, during the day songs with swear words in are often bleeped out whether it's on the radio or TV as they believe swearing is not suitable for a young audience. Although singers at the moment have been using much more explicit content such as violence, nudity, drugs or graphic language in there videos that there is age restrictions on what can be shown.
Monday 14 October 2013
How far do you agree with the comment that mass audiences are still passive recipients of media texts?
I do agree that the mass audiences are still passive recipients of media text.
A passive audience is an audience that takes in messages, ideas and beliefs sublimely, meaning they do not actively engage with the media but unconsciously take media in. Media uses certain techniques in order to manipulate the thought process for example if the media kept displaying an advert where a woman was doing the washing up this is sublimely injecting the idea that this role was for a women, and for men the idea that the women are suppose to wash up. In the end this then desensitises people so the idea of the women washing up and not the man was just the normal everyday life.
In the 1920's things were censored from films, the didn't want the mass audience to be injected with that they thought were unacceptable such as, white slavery, ridicule of clergy, misusing the american flag, showing leg above the knee. They believed that if these things were shown on t.v such as using words such as Christ and lord in a rude way people may act upon this and start doing it in day to day life. This supports the idea that the mass audiences are passive because now days we do not see this ideas from the 1920's to be bad.
This idea also effects how different genders see things, because today we are so used to see very slim figured hot women on fronts of many magazines people now believe that this image is the perfect way to look, following this idea the media texts further manipulate your thoughts by showing curvy, bigger celebrities in the magazines comparing them to the skinnier ones and saying they have put on weight. With this in mind this then makes the audience believe that its not good to be bigger. This also affects males because men see these women on the front of magazines because of this they are being passively injected into thinking women look like this and women who aren't are not fit or good looking.
I agree that the mass audiences are passive recipients of media text as the media is a big part of society and even though you may not think that you are taking in the media it is everywhere around you there for it plays a part in your life.
A passive audience is an audience that takes in messages, ideas and beliefs sublimely, meaning they do not actively engage with the media but unconsciously take media in. Media uses certain techniques in order to manipulate the thought process for example if the media kept displaying an advert where a woman was doing the washing up this is sublimely injecting the idea that this role was for a women, and for men the idea that the women are suppose to wash up. In the end this then desensitises people so the idea of the women washing up and not the man was just the normal everyday life.
In the 1920's things were censored from films, the didn't want the mass audience to be injected with that they thought were unacceptable such as, white slavery, ridicule of clergy, misusing the american flag, showing leg above the knee. They believed that if these things were shown on t.v such as using words such as Christ and lord in a rude way people may act upon this and start doing it in day to day life. This supports the idea that the mass audiences are passive because now days we do not see this ideas from the 1920's to be bad.
This idea also effects how different genders see things, because today we are so used to see very slim figured hot women on fronts of many magazines people now believe that this image is the perfect way to look, following this idea the media texts further manipulate your thoughts by showing curvy, bigger celebrities in the magazines comparing them to the skinnier ones and saying they have put on weight. With this in mind this then makes the audience believe that its not good to be bigger. This also affects males because men see these women on the front of magazines because of this they are being passively injected into thinking women look like this and women who aren't are not fit or good looking.
I agree that the mass audiences are passive recipients of media text as the media is a big part of society and even though you may not think that you are taking in the media it is everywhere around you there for it plays a part in your life.
Sunday 13 October 2013
Message around the school
When I looked around the school I found that the
overall message was about succeeding and attitude. It was about believing in
yourself, having confidence and how you can do the best for yourself in life. About
respecting and treating others as it’s how you want to be treated. If you don’t
believe in yourself you won’t get as far in life if you’re not smarter than you
think. The messages around the school are big and bold this is to grab the student’s
attention however in a way you could say that the messages are being passively
injected into our minds as they are everywhere around the school. 
Friday 11 October 2013
Audience Theory
Target audience - specific people that the type of media is aimed
This is broken down though Representation - age, gender, race class, regional identity, disability, religion.Active audience- Primary - Engaging consciously with a media text
Secondary- Engaging with media while doing something else
Passive audience- Tertiary- When you don't engage with the media but know its there on a subconscious level.
Ideology - An ideology is a system of values, attitudes and beliefs which an individual, group or society hold to be true. Ideologies that are told to us repeatedly by important social institutions such as the church, the law, education, government, and the media are called dominant ideologies.
There are three theory's of audience that we can apply to help us come to a better understanding about the relationship between text.
1. The effects model or the Hypodermic Model
2. The uses and gratifications Model
3.Reception theory
1. The effects model or the Hypodermic Model
2. The uses and gratifications Model
3.Reception theory
We are also going to look at the Step mode theory and the Agenda setting theory.
The effects model - Hypodermic syringe:
Imitation - this is when peoplecopy what they see
Catharsis - Realising our lives and problems aren't as bad thought the narrative of a media text such as soap operas the idea of escapism.
Desensitisation -When we become used to seeing something through the media such as violence that it becomes a normal part of society, normally negative, no longer has the desired effect on the audience
Uses and gratification:
. Personal identity
. Surveillance
. Pleasure/entertainment
. Diversion/escapism
. Learning/understanding
The effects model - Hypodermic syringe:
Imitation - this is when peoplecopy what they see
Catharsis - Realising our lives and problems aren't as bad thought the narrative of a media text such as soap operas the idea of escapism.
Desensitisation -When we become used to seeing something through the media such as violence that it becomes a normal part of society, normally negative, no longer has the desired effect on the audience
Uses and gratification:
. Personal identity
. Surveillance
. Pleasure/entertainment
. Diversion/escapism
. Learning/understanding
Saturday 5 October 2013
Terror in the night
I also believe that it follows Propps theory, the idea that the narrative theory is driven by 8 different characters. In my story board I have a villain: the bat a hero: the policeman a dispatcher: the parents and a princess: the children.
Thursday 3 October 2013
Narrative Theorists
Vladimir Propp
Vladimir Propp was a Soviet formalist scholar who analysed the basic plot components of Russian folk tales to identify their simplest irreducible narrative elements.
His narrative theory is that the narrative is driven by the characters using a set of narrative functions
He identifies 8 characters in films
- Hero: (protagonist)Has a mission or quest to complete
- Villain: (Antagonist) Tries to stop the hero
- Princess: Love intreset and/or object of the quest
- Farther: person with knowledge
- Dispatcher: Sends of the hero
- Doner: Gives the hero something to help him
- Sidekick: The helper of the hero
- False hero: villain that pretends to be good to trick the hero
In addition he said that it is narratemes that drive the narrative forward.
Roland Barthes
Roland Barthes was a French literary theorist, philosopher, linguist, critic, and semiotician
Barthes describes narrative as a series of codes that are read and interpreted by audience
Action code- something that's quite literal doesn't need explaining
Enigma- Something hidden from the audience (creates intrigue)
Semic code- Something that the audience recognize through connotations
Symbolic- Something that symbolizes a more abstract concept
Cultural code- Something that is read with understanding due to cultural awareness.
Tsvetan Todorov
Tzvetan Todorov is a Franco-Bulgarian philosopher.
Todorov describes narrative as going from equilibrium to disequilibrium back to an altered equilibrium.
Equilibrium - sets the scene, everyday life
Disruption - A complication, something that alters the equilibrium
Conflict - Climax, try to solve the problem
Resolution - Problem is solved
New equilibrium - Back to normal but not the same, a new version
Claude Levi-Strauss
Claude Levi-Strauss was a French anthropologist and ethnologist
Stauss describes narrative as created by constant conflict of binary opposites. The binary opposites work together to help understand narrative structure.
Love/Hate Black/White Peace/War Light/Darkness Young/Old
Narrative structure
Narrative explores the conventions of:
- Genre
- Character
- Form
- Time
Linear Structure
Beginning - Audience introduced to characters and story
Middle - Event, story builds
End - closure
Open structure
The audience are left to wonder what happens next and make sense of it themselves e.g inception
Closed structure
Definite ending- clear conclusion for the audience
Circular structure
Beginning and end - The narrative begins at the end events. (often with the climax) The audience are taking on a journey arriving back where they started e.g pulp fiction
- Genre
- Character
- Form
- Time
Linear Structure
Beginning - Audience introduced to characters and story
Middle - Event, story builds
End - closure
Open structure
The audience are left to wonder what happens next and make sense of it themselves e.g inception
Closed structure
Definite ending- clear conclusion for the audience
Circular structure
Beginning and end - The narrative begins at the end events. (often with the climax) The audience are taking on a journey arriving back where they started e.g pulp fiction
Wednesday 2 October 2013
Creating Meaning: Semiotics
Signs are said to be empty shapes - we put meaning to them
Semiotics is the study of sign systems which allows us to de construct media texts to understand how meaning is being created. A sign is the smallest element of meaning. Signs will be grouped together to create a larger unit of meaning; these are called codes which can be decoded or interpreted.
Polysemic
Polysemic refers to the capacity of all the signs i.e. to have more than one meaning. Polysemy therefore also applies to the ideas that many signs will be 'ironic' 'symbolic' and 'ideixical'
Polysemic
Polysemic refers to the capacity of all the signs i.e. to have more than one meaning. Polysemy therefore also applies to the ideas that many signs will be 'ironic' 'symbolic' and 'ideixical'
Signifier - Object it's self e.g a rose
Signified - what it represent e.g love and purity
Denotation - 'The sign denotes' The literal meaning of the sign.
Connotation - 'The sign connotes' The interpreted meaning of a sign or signs.
Connotation - 'The sign connotes' The interpreted meaning of a sign or signs.
A rose denotes nature/flowers but in context could connote growth love or passion.
Re (presentation)
Representation: The way people's groups, cultures and ideas are shown by the media.
Media texts show us not the truth but an interpretation of the truth.
Editing + Narrative
Everything that is done in media is to create meaning. Editing is when you change the narrative in a clip to create meaning.
We watched a video clip - Super size me
and was told to write down the structure of what happens in the clip.
We watched a video clip - Super size me
and was told to write down the structure of what happens in the clip.
Although this is what I thought had happened, It may have not. The clip has been edited by ellipses these are used these to make the audience fill in the blanks. We haven't actually seen the man be sick but heard noises and then a shot of sick on the floor, suggesting to us he was sick. However this may not have happened at all, the sick could have been already there or they even made a mixture to look like sick and just edited the clip to make it look like he was.
Editing constructs a narrative out of footage. You can put different pieces of footages together to manipulate the situation so audience see's what you want them to see. You can take multiple clips from the same film and change the narrative to give different interpretations and perspectives. Media in all can manipulate the way you think.
Music
In today's lesson we looked at how music effects a film. We was asked questions such as what emotions do we feel when listening to the music, what film we thinks its from and what genre it is, and lastly what we thought was happening in the scene. This will help me when thinking about my two minute opening of a film as I will need to include music in my clip to create an atmosphere and emotion for the audience to connect with my clip.
We was then told the film was the notebook
Mise-en-scene -The mood is created through music in this scene.
Two shot - makes the shot more personal showing their love. The music is soft and happy.
Sawns- shows peacefulness. Music is peaceful
Whiteness- the Shot is surrounded with white swans and flowers, Shows purity of there love. At this point the music is fast but cheery.
Thunder - Happens when they start arguing contrasts with the whiteness and purity. The music becomes quite dramatic and sad.
Music for Films
Action - upbeat, fast music
Science fiction - futuristic
Horror- Slow, sometimes fast, weary, low beat, high pitched to build up to a scary moment
Comedy - upbeat, happy
Romantic - Calm, peaceful, happy.
Diegetic sound - sounds that appear naturally from the scene i.e. footsteps
Non Diegetic - Sounds that aren't natural to the scene i.e. a narrator
By having an idea what music type of music goes with what genre this will help me when I choose my genre for my film as I will have an idea on what type of music I need to create the right atmosphere. Also by knowing what diegetic sound is I can apply this to my 2 minute film to make it more realistic
We was then told the film was the notebook
Mise-en-scene -The mood is created through music in this scene.
Two shot - makes the shot more personal showing their love. The music is soft and happy.
Sawns- shows peacefulness. Music is peaceful
Whiteness- the Shot is surrounded with white swans and flowers, Shows purity of there love. At this point the music is fast but cheery.
Thunder - Happens when they start arguing contrasts with the whiteness and purity. The music becomes quite dramatic and sad.
Music for Films
Action - upbeat, fast music
Science fiction - futuristic
Horror- Slow, sometimes fast, weary, low beat, high pitched to build up to a scary moment
Comedy - upbeat, happy
Romantic - Calm, peaceful, happy.
Diegetic sound - sounds that appear naturally from the scene i.e. footsteps
Non Diegetic - Sounds that aren't natural to the scene i.e. a narrator
By having an idea what music type of music goes with what genre this will help me when I choose my genre for my film as I will have an idea on what type of music I need to create the right atmosphere. Also by knowing what diegetic sound is I can apply this to my 2 minute film to make it more realistic
The concept of GENRE
Genre - A set of conventions recognisably usually through iconography familiar narrative mise-en-scene, actors and style of representation.
Horror
Setting - dark, gloomy, spooky, castles, abandoned houses, graveyards.
Characters - Mysterious characters, zombies, ghosts, possessed children.
Themes - issues - Death, haunting, possession.
1930's - Dracula 1970's - Slashers
1940's - Frankenstein/werewolves 1980's - Nightmare on elms street
1960's - Physcos 1990's - Teen horror
Genre is always changing in order to keep the audience interested, if films with the same genre kept being produced the audience would become desensitised and the film would no longer have the desired affect.
Genres are not static but constantly renegotiated between industries and audience - a combination of familiar reassurance and new twist.
Horror
Setting - dark, gloomy, spooky, castles, abandoned houses, graveyards.
Characters - Mysterious characters, zombies, ghosts, possessed children.
Themes - issues - Death, haunting, possession.
1930's - Dracula 1970's - Slashers
1940's - Frankenstein/werewolves 1980's - Nightmare on elms street
1960's - Physcos 1990's - Teen horror
Genre is always changing in order to keep the audience interested, if films with the same genre kept being produced the audience would become desensitised and the film would no longer have the desired affect.
Genres are not static but constantly renegotiated between industries and audience - a combination of familiar reassurance and new twist.
Genres are creative strategies used by producers to ensure audience identification with a film - a mean of trying to predict risk. Genre is a way or working through myths and fears by: repetition, variation and resolution.
Representation
In lessons we started to look at how films are REpresented using :
Colours
Camera angles
Sound/Music
Facial expressions
Lighting
Make-up
Setting
We watched a film clip from Darth Vader 4 times we had to look how they used these concepts to create meaning and convey certain ideas.
Setting and props
- There were dead bodies on the floor around Darth Vader suggesting he is the most powerful.
- Storm Troopers were all carrying guns accept Darth Vader, emphasising the power that Darth Vader has as he doesn't need weapons to fight.
- The setting is all white showing its futuristic.
Costume, Hair and make-up
- Darth Vader enters the scene in all black which makes him stand out to all the storm troopers who are in white showing he is more important.
- Darth Vader is also wearing a cloak showing his dominance over the troopers.
- You cant see the storm troopers faces suggesting they are not important.
Body language and Facial expressions
- The storm troopers react immediately to the entrance of Darth Vader by standing up straight and stopping what they are doing, showing that they are controlled by Darth Vader, representing his importance.
- When Darth Vader enters he looks down on the dead corpse on the floor showing that he is a villain.
Lighting and colour
- Red lasers shows death and viscous behaviour also danger.
- Everything this very bright in the scene which contrasts to the destruction around.
From this I learnt that the producers and directors can manipulate the way the audience see a film/clip by creating certain ideas in which the audience can interpret.
Colours
Camera angles
Sound/Music
Facial expressions
Lighting
Make-up
Setting
We watched a film clip from Darth Vader 4 times we had to look how they used these concepts to create meaning and convey certain ideas.
Setting and props
- There were dead bodies on the floor around Darth Vader suggesting he is the most powerful.
- Storm Troopers were all carrying guns accept Darth Vader, emphasising the power that Darth Vader has as he doesn't need weapons to fight.
- The setting is all white showing its futuristic.
Costume, Hair and make-up
- Darth Vader enters the scene in all black which makes him stand out to all the storm troopers who are in white showing he is more important.
- Darth Vader is also wearing a cloak showing his dominance over the troopers.
- You cant see the storm troopers faces suggesting they are not important.
Body language and Facial expressions
- The storm troopers react immediately to the entrance of Darth Vader by standing up straight and stopping what they are doing, showing that they are controlled by Darth Vader, representing his importance.
- When Darth Vader enters he looks down on the dead corpse on the floor showing that he is a villain.
Lighting and colour
- Red lasers shows death and viscous behaviour also danger.
- Everything this very bright in the scene which contrasts to the destruction around.
From this I learnt that the producers and directors can manipulate the way the audience see a film/clip by creating certain ideas in which the audience can interpret.
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