Thursday 14 June 2012
A slightly overlong WeMedia essay - not redrafted (sorry)
Finally got my temperamental scanner working again.
Have a last look, decide which example/case study you would cut out (I gave myself an extra 30 minutes) or which one you would replace with Kony 2012 or something else, then go to sleep!!!
We Media essay
Friday 1 June 2012
Re-posted: Q1b - An example on Media Language from Long Road
DISCLAIMER: This is an example answer, not an exemplar!
Re-posted: Question 1b - ESSENTIAL REVISION - THEORIES AND THEORISTS
Why re-invent the wheel? This is VERY comprehensive! Deal with one section at a time as you revise.
Q1b theory and MANGeR db edit mgoogan guide
View more PowerPoint from DB3igs
Re-posted: Revision - We Media Theory
This is a brilliant handout produced by some students from Long Road Media. It mentions most of the theories / theorists you need. Could YOU improve it further?
We media
View more documents from Media Studies
Tuesday 29 May 2012
Useful Prezi from another centre to help you revise Section A Q1a and Q1b
This might also be of interest (though McLuhan is the right spelling):
Wednesday 23 May 2012
Question 1a Exam Preparation
Here are 2 good presentations from other centres to help you prepare, revise and structure your essays.
The other one cannot be embedded but is from Long Road...
SEE IT HERE
The other one cannot be embedded but is from Long Road...
SEE IT HERE
REVISE - Links recently tweeted by Julian McDougall.. (you know, the man who writes your A2 paper...) and by Long Road Media
Marshall McLuhan: McLuhan is known for coining the expressions "the medium is the message" and "the global village" and predicted the World Wide Web almost thirty years before it was invented.
In the early 1960s, McLuhan wrote that the visual, individualistic print culture would soon be brought to an end by what he called "electronic interdependence": when electronic media replace visual culture with aural/oral culture. In this new age, humankind will move from individualism and fragmentation to a collective identity, with a "tribal base." McLuhan's coinage for this new social organization is the global village.
Whereas print media tend to fragment society, the new electronics technology, particularly the television with its mass availability, will effect a web of interdependence that can unite humanity in a "global village."
See also: Marshall McLuhan Foresees The Global Village
Charles Leadbetter: We-Think / Creativity - His most recent book, We-Think, explores the new phenomenon of mass creativity exemplified by web sites such as YouTube, Wikipedia and MySpace. The book, which in a preliminary version is open to public criticism and revision, argues that participation, rather than consumption or production, will be the key organizing idea of future society.
In Contrast, Andrew Keen's The Cult of the Amateur: How Today's Internet is Killing our Culture
His 2007 book is a critique of the enthusiasm surrounding user generated content, peer production, and other Web 2.0-related phenomena.
Also in contrast, Morozov: How democracy slipped through the net (Guardian article)
The author of The Net Delusion has serious doubts about the web's ability to bring change to oppressive regimes – and he's inspiring a new generation of cyber-sceptics
EXtractfrom the article:
As we sit and talk in a cafe near Capitol Hill in Washington, Morozov admits rather sheepishly that in the beginning he was himself a passionate believer in the democratising potential of the web. After school, he moved to Bulgaria with the benefit of a grant from George Soros's Open Society Institute and then worked for an NGO in Berlin. He even become one of the first to use the term "Twitter revolution" at the time of the protests in Moldova in April 2009.
"It was hard not to be infected by a sense of optimism and excitement about the freedom agenda that was around at that time. I genuinely thought it was making a difference. Democracy appeared to be advancing and marching, and the web 2.0 seemed to be part of it, bringing people on to the streets."
Then when Tehran erupted, Morozov had a deepening sense that the claims being made for the internet as a pro-democracy force were being wildly exaggerated. In his book, he points his finger at those he accuses of hype, or as he puts it "cyber-utopianism" such as New York University's Clay Shirky – "this is it, the big one, the first revolution transformed by social media [...]
That failure has allowed authoritarian governments to develop their own presence on the web, to powerful effect. Initially, the techniques used were blunt and unsophisticated, such as the Chinese government's decision simply to turn off the internet for 10 months in 2009 amid the growing unrest in Xinjiang. But over time dictators and oligarchs have become adept at fine-tuning their methods..."
Jeff Jarvis's extract: A Hippocratic oath for the internet
There have been many attempts to craft bills of rights for the net, from the Association for Progressive Communications, to a group of Chinese intellectuals, to the Internet Rights and Principles Coalition, to the Brazillian Internet Steering Committee, to the Facebook users who wrote a set of social rights. There is much good thinking there. I offer mine to add to the discussion, broadening it, I hope, to embrace not only the openness of the internet but also the principles of publicness (I go into these in greater depth in my book):I. We have the right to connect.
II. We have the right to speak.
III. We have the right to assemble and to act.
IV. Privacy is an ethic of knowing.
V. Publicness is an ethic of sharing.
VI. Our institutions’ information should be public by default, secret by necessity.
VII. What is public is a public good.
VIII. All bits are created equal.
IX. The internet must stay open and distributed.
Marxist Media Theory: Gramsci, Althusser and hegemony (+ Fiske)
Gramsci used the term hegemony to denote the predominance of one social class over others (e.g. bourgeois hegemony). This represents not only political and economic control, but also the ability of the dominant class to project its own way of seeing the world so that those who are subordinated by it accept it as 'common sense' and 'natural'. Commentators stress that this involves willing and active consent. Common sense, suggests Geoffrey Nowell-Smith, is 'the way a subordinate class lives its subordination'.
As Fiske puts it, 'Consent must be constantly won and rewon, for people's material social experience constantly reminds them of the disadvantages of subordination and thus poses a threat to the dominant class... Hegemony... posits a constant contradiction between ideology and the social experience of the subordinate that makes this interface into an inevitable site of ideological struggle'
And to finish on a slightly different note...
Twitter power: how social networking is revolutionising the music business
A&R men and other traditional insiders bypassed as new sites connect artists directly to fans (Guardian article)
"But with the number of independent record stores in terminal decline and the boundaries of the internet limitless, online music social networks have sprung up to meet the demands of gregarious music lovers who want to share ideas and loves. Tuesday sees the launch of The Pic-Nic Village, a new social networking site created by Pete Lawrence, founder of the Big Chill festival, which will be funded and run entirely by its users – the most recent of a wave of music social networking sites that is revolutionising the way people discover music. The new social network Meanwhile Ping, launched last week and based on iTunes, has already attracted more than 1 million users, according to Apple..."
In the early 1960s, McLuhan wrote that the visual, individualistic print culture would soon be brought to an end by what he called "electronic interdependence": when electronic media replace visual culture with aural/oral culture. In this new age, humankind will move from individualism and fragmentation to a collective identity, with a "tribal base." McLuhan's coinage for this new social organization is the global village.
Whereas print media tend to fragment society, the new electronics technology, particularly the television with its mass availability, will effect a web of interdependence that can unite humanity in a "global village."
See also: Marshall McLuhan Foresees The Global Village
Charles Leadbetter: We-Think / Creativity - His most recent book, We-Think, explores the new phenomenon of mass creativity exemplified by web sites such as YouTube, Wikipedia and MySpace. The book, which in a preliminary version is open to public criticism and revision, argues that participation, rather than consumption or production, will be the key organizing idea of future society.
In Contrast, Andrew Keen's The Cult of the Amateur: How Today's Internet is Killing our Culture
His 2007 book is a critique of the enthusiasm surrounding user generated content, peer production, and other Web 2.0-related phenomena.
Also in contrast, Morozov: How democracy slipped through the net (Guardian article)
The author of The Net Delusion has serious doubts about the web's ability to bring change to oppressive regimes – and he's inspiring a new generation of cyber-sceptics
EXtractfrom the article:
As we sit and talk in a cafe near Capitol Hill in Washington, Morozov admits rather sheepishly that in the beginning he was himself a passionate believer in the democratising potential of the web. After school, he moved to Bulgaria with the benefit of a grant from George Soros's Open Society Institute and then worked for an NGO in Berlin. He even become one of the first to use the term "Twitter revolution" at the time of the protests in Moldova in April 2009.
"It was hard not to be infected by a sense of optimism and excitement about the freedom agenda that was around at that time. I genuinely thought it was making a difference. Democracy appeared to be advancing and marching, and the web 2.0 seemed to be part of it, bringing people on to the streets."
Then when Tehran erupted, Morozov had a deepening sense that the claims being made for the internet as a pro-democracy force were being wildly exaggerated. In his book, he points his finger at those he accuses of hype, or as he puts it "cyber-utopianism" such as New York University's Clay Shirky – "this is it, the big one, the first revolution transformed by social media [...]
That failure has allowed authoritarian governments to develop their own presence on the web, to powerful effect. Initially, the techniques used were blunt and unsophisticated, such as the Chinese government's decision simply to turn off the internet for 10 months in 2009 amid the growing unrest in Xinjiang. But over time dictators and oligarchs have become adept at fine-tuning their methods..."
Jeff Jarvis's extract: A Hippocratic oath for the internet
There have been many attempts to craft bills of rights for the net, from the Association for Progressive Communications, to a group of Chinese intellectuals, to the Internet Rights and Principles Coalition, to the Brazillian Internet Steering Committee, to the Facebook users who wrote a set of social rights. There is much good thinking there. I offer mine to add to the discussion, broadening it, I hope, to embrace not only the openness of the internet but also the principles of publicness (I go into these in greater depth in my book):I. We have the right to connect.
II. We have the right to speak.
III. We have the right to assemble and to act.
IV. Privacy is an ethic of knowing.
V. Publicness is an ethic of sharing.
VI. Our institutions’ information should be public by default, secret by necessity.
VII. What is public is a public good.
VIII. All bits are created equal.
IX. The internet must stay open and distributed.
Marxist Media Theory: Gramsci, Althusser and hegemony (+ Fiske)
Gramsci used the term hegemony to denote the predominance of one social class over others (e.g. bourgeois hegemony). This represents not only political and economic control, but also the ability of the dominant class to project its own way of seeing the world so that those who are subordinated by it accept it as 'common sense' and 'natural'. Commentators stress that this involves willing and active consent. Common sense, suggests Geoffrey Nowell-Smith, is 'the way a subordinate class lives its subordination'.
As Fiske puts it, 'Consent must be constantly won and rewon, for people's material social experience constantly reminds them of the disadvantages of subordination and thus poses a threat to the dominant class... Hegemony... posits a constant contradiction between ideology and the social experience of the subordinate that makes this interface into an inevitable site of ideological struggle'
And to finish on a slightly different note...
Twitter power: how social networking is revolutionising the music business
A&R men and other traditional insiders bypassed as new sites connect artists directly to fans (Guardian article)
"But with the number of independent record stores in terminal decline and the boundaries of the internet limitless, online music social networks have sprung up to meet the demands of gregarious music lovers who want to share ideas and loves. Tuesday sees the launch of The Pic-Nic Village, a new social networking site created by Pete Lawrence, founder of the Big Chill festival, which will be funded and run entirely by its users – the most recent of a wave of music social networking sites that is revolutionising the way people discover music. The new social network Meanwhile Ping, launched last week and based on iTunes, has already attracted more than 1 million users, according to Apple..."
Thursday 17 May 2012
Exam Prep - watch and comment
Here is the first part of a response to the question about the extent to which new media can enrich democracy, by Josh and Matthew.
They focused on the Social networking / citizen journalism angle which could be the first half (or 2/3) of the essay. Devki and Shreyaa focused on the Creativity angle. I'll try and upload their video tomorrow.
The boys are very clear and specific in places but less certain or vague in others. Also, there are a few more theory 'ingredients' that could be added and a mention of blogs.
Help create the ultimate answer by adding your comments below in response to what you hear.
What is good and why?
What is vague and needs clarification?
What's missing?
What could have been linked differently?
What theory could have been included and applied to the examples?
Of course you don't have to address all the above questions but make a start where you think it's most needed.
If you'd rather respond on your own blog, do so and let us know in the comments. You could also save the picture and add notes to it, then post it on your blog.
They focused on the Social networking / citizen journalism angle which could be the first half (or 2/3) of the essay. Devki and Shreyaa focused on the Creativity angle. I'll try and upload their video tomorrow.
The boys are very clear and specific in places but less certain or vague in others. Also, there are a few more theory 'ingredients' that could be added and a mention of blogs.
Help create the ultimate answer by adding your comments below in response to what you hear.
What is good and why?
What is vague and needs clarification?
What's missing?
What could have been linked differently?
What theory could have been included and applied to the examples?
Of course you don't have to address all the above questions but make a start where you think it's most needed.
If you'd rather respond on your own blog, do so and let us know in the comments. You could also save the picture and add notes to it, then post it on your blog.
Wednesday 16 May 2012
Gauntlett and Jenkins - Thursday's lesson and independent study
FIRST WATCH THIS: David Gauntlett.
And this even better one!
Now read this:
Gauntlett interviewed by Henry Jenkins (from Jenkins' blog). Scan to find the relevant bits but look closely at part 3!
Moving on to Henry Jenkins, have a look at this:
Jenkins' post from his blog, Confessions of an Aca-Fan
Particularly watch this video!!!
And if you can this one:
Henry Jenkins is in London talking about his new book, Spreadable Media, and much more! He was interviewed by David Gauntlett on Tuesday night. Search #digitaltrans on Twitter for nuggets from the talk.
Someone has helpfully provided a rough transcript of what was said. You can read it here:
And here are poor videos of that talk.
Link to the Lost Zombies Project website
And here someone explains the project:
Here is a link to an article about the Palestinian protestors who dressed up as Avatar characters
Here is a link to the Harry Potter Alliance website that Jenkins mentions.
If it doesn't work, go directly there: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNqgXbI1_o8
And this even better one!
Now read this:
Gauntlett interviewed by Henry Jenkins (from Jenkins' blog). Scan to find the relevant bits but look closely at part 3!
Studying Creativity in the Age of Web 2.0: An Interview with David Gauntlett (Part 1)
Studying Creativity in the Age of Web 2.0: An interview with David Gauntlett (Part Two)
Jenkins' post from his blog, Confessions of an Aca-Fan
Particularly watch this video!!!
And if you can this one:
Henry Jenkins is in London talking about his new book, Spreadable Media, and much more! He was interviewed by David Gauntlett on Tuesday night. Search #digitaltrans on Twitter for nuggets from the talk.
Someone has helpfully provided a rough transcript of what was said. You can read it here:
| Henry Jenkins' talk |
And here are poor videos of that talk.
Link to the Lost Zombies Project website
And here someone explains the project:
Here is a link to an article about the Palestinian protestors who dressed up as Avatar characters
Here is a link to the Harry Potter Alliance website that Jenkins mentions.
For Thursday 17.5.12
See last week's H/L.
Hand in (or post) your redrafted / improved first essay on We Media so I can mark it.
Remember that an essay has been set for tomorrow!
For those who were away, you need to choose between:
1. "We get the media we deserve." Discuss in relation to the media in a democracy.
2. As a citizen, to what extent do you feel that the media provide you with a democratic service?
It's time to make sure you're absolutely ready for the exam. Be there.
Hand in (or post) your redrafted / improved first essay on We Media so I can mark it.
Remember that an essay has been set for tomorrow!
For those who were away, you need to choose between:
1. "We get the media we deserve." Discuss in relation to the media in a democracy.
2. As a citizen, to what extent do you feel that the media provide you with a democratic service?
It's time to make sure you're absolutely ready for the exam. Be there.
Exam Advice and past questions from Pete's Media Blog
Here are ALL previous questions for each element, from the exams in Jan and June 2010 and Jan 2011:
Section A 1a
Describe how you developed research and planning skills for media production and evaluate how these skills contributed to creative decision making. Refer to a range of examples in your answer to show how these skills developed over time.
Describe the ways in which your production work was informed by research into real media texts and how your ability to use such research for production developed over time.
Describe how you developed your skills in the use of digital technology for media production and evaluate how these skills contributed to your creative decision making. Refer to a range of examples in your answer to show how these skills developed over time.
1b
Analyse media representation in one of your coursework productions.
Analyse one of your coursework productions in relation to genre.
Apply theories of narrative to one of your coursework productions.
Section A 1a
Describe how you developed research and planning skills for media production and evaluate how these skills contributed to creative decision making. Refer to a range of examples in your answer to show how these skills developed over time.
Describe the ways in which your production work was informed by research into real media texts and how your ability to use such research for production developed over time.
Describe how you developed your skills in the use of digital technology for media production and evaluate how these skills contributed to your creative decision making. Refer to a range of examples in your answer to show how these skills developed over time.
1b
Analyse media representation in one of your coursework productions.
Analyse one of your coursework productions in relation to genre.
Apply theories of narrative to one of your coursework productions.
How to approach question 1a
How to approach question 1b
Section B
WeMedia and Democracy
How far can the media in 2010 be considered to be democratic?
Assess the claim that the media is becoming more democratic.
Discuss the meanings of the term ‘we media.’
Explore the claim that the ‘new’ media are more democratic than the ‘old’ media.
What is ‘we media’ and what difference does it make to citizens?
‘We get the media we deserve.’ Discuss, in relation to the role of media in a democracy.
Now look at his presentation:
Now look at these fabulous posts on the London Riots and how it can be approach for We Media and Online Age:
How to approach question 1b
Section B
WeMedia and Democracy
How far can the media in 2010 be considered to be democratic?
Assess the claim that the media is becoming more democratic.
Discuss the meanings of the term ‘we media.’
Explore the claim that the ‘new’ media are more democratic than the ‘old’ media.
What is ‘we media’ and what difference does it make to citizens?
‘We get the media we deserve.’ Discuss, in relation to the role of media in a democracy.
Now look at his presentation:
...and this one:
Tuesday 8 May 2012
For Thursday 10.05.12
- Make sure you have at least one draft for each Q1b.
- Redraft / Improve them as much as possible. SHOW ME YOUR AMENDMENTS.
- Use the notes made in last lesson to improve your We Media essay. I need to see corrections / improvements made. You MUST bring it to the lesson as we will use them in class. Keep reading! It's the key to improve understanding and fluency!
- Manan's link: http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/mar/07/facebook-twitter-revolutionaries-cyber-utopians?INTCMP=SRCH
- Hemal's link/video: http://hemalsperspective.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/jared-cohen-technologys-role-in-arab.html
Sunday 29 April 2012
Work on Henry Jenkins to do on April 30th
1. What are Henry Jenkins’ ideas about how the media landscape is changing?
2. What is ‘convergence culture’?
3. How are Jenkins’ ideas similar to those of David
Gauntlett and Michael Wesch?
4. How might we disagree with Jenkins’ utopian ideas about
the media? (Answering this question may require some independent thought – be
very afraid.)
Thursday 26 April 2012
Due in Thursday 4.5.12 - h/l +independent study
- Write your essay on: Discuss the use you have made of Media Language in one of your media products (Q1b). (Remember that's the only topic that hasn't come up yet)
- Redraft / Improve some of your other essays that have been marked. PLEASE INDICATE WHERE / WHAT YOU ARE REDRAFTING.
- Continue reading / watching relevant materials for your We Media question. Make use of Scoop.it. Students from other centres do - and find it useful (I've been told) - so why not all of you? It will make all the difference in the end, particularly if you're aiming for a top grade (which you should all do).
- Have a look at the great REVISION documents I have posted below. Consolidate and extend your learning.
BRING IN FILES AND EXERCISE BOOKS - WITHOUT FAULT.
Have a good week!
- Redraft / Improve some of your other essays that have been marked. PLEASE INDICATE WHERE / WHAT YOU ARE REDRAFTING.
- Continue reading / watching relevant materials for your We Media question. Make use of Scoop.it. Students from other centres do - and find it useful (I've been told) - so why not all of you? It will make all the difference in the end, particularly if you're aiming for a top grade (which you should all do).
- Have a look at the great REVISION documents I have posted below. Consolidate and extend your learning.
BRING IN FILES AND EXERCISE BOOKS - WITHOUT FAULT.
Have a good week!
Revision, Consolidation, Extension - Representation
Handy handout from Long Road Media:
Representation theory hand-out
View more documents from Media Studies
Revision and Clarification - Ideology and Hegemony
This Prezi is to the point and a good way to go over these tricky terms.
Prezi produced by Mrs Black from another centre.
Sunday 22 April 2012
Reminders for Thusday 26.4.12
- Complete your Representation essay (Q1b)
- Plan in detail your Media Language essay (Q1b)
- Re-read and complete your notes on the Media Mag articles
- Use Scoop.it (link above) to extend your learning and your understanding of your case studies.
- Plan in detail your Media Language essay (Q1b)
- Re-read and complete your notes on the Media Mag articles
- Use Scoop.it (link above) to extend your learning and your understanding of your case studies.
Sunday 15 April 2012
Work for Period 5 Monday 23rd April
Back to the online age again:
1. According to this video, what was the music industry like in the 90s and how has it changed more recently?
1. According to this video, what was the music industry like in the 90s and how has it changed more recently?
2. What are curators (such as Pitchfork and Hypemachine)? What is their role? Why are they important?
3. How can you link what this video says about creativity (in video-making, in particular) to David Gauntlett's ideas and to the theory of the long tail?
Wednesday 4 April 2012
Clay Shirky - Guardian interview
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/video/2012/apr/04/clay-shirky-technology-video
Clay Shirky: 'Every time a new technology comes along to increase distribution the affected industries flip out' - video
Clay Shirky talks to Alan Rusbridger about the attempts to pass legislation in the US congress to control the spread of copyrighted content and the spontaneous protest movement against it
This extract is also great: watch it!
Clay Shirky on newspaper pay models: 'We are renegotiating the relationship between reader and publication' - video
Clay Shirky speaks to Alan Rusbridger about the range of newspaper pay models in the UK and US. Shirky claims the fight between US newspaper publications is no longer over the business model but how they manage the relationship and what the readers do in response
Finally... Clay Shirky: watch the interview in full - video
Clay Shirky speaks to Alan Rusbridger at the Guardian's Open Weekend festival. The web guru discusses the battles in the US over online censorship, the difficulty of newsrooms dealing with increasingly large quantities of data and a new generation of journalists re-inventing the methods of reporting
Clay Shirky: 'Every time a new technology comes along to increase distribution the affected industries flip out' - video
Clay Shirky talks to Alan Rusbridger about the attempts to pass legislation in the US congress to control the spread of copyrighted content and the spontaneous protest movement against it
This extract is also great: watch it!
Clay Shirky on newspaper pay models: 'We are renegotiating the relationship between reader and publication' - video
Clay Shirky speaks to Alan Rusbridger about the range of newspaper pay models in the UK and US. Shirky claims the fight between US newspaper publications is no longer over the business model but how they manage the relationship and what the readers do in response
Finally... Clay Shirky: watch the interview in full - video
Clay Shirky speaks to Alan Rusbridger at the Guardian's Open Weekend festival. The web guru discusses the battles in the US over online censorship, the difficulty of newsrooms dealing with increasingly large quantities of data and a new generation of journalists re-inventing the methods of reporting
Saturday 31 March 2012
Q1b on Audience - due in Thursday 19.4.12
1. Complete your essay on Audience.
2. Make sure you improve the previous essays on Narrative and Genre, as well as your WeMedia essay on the extent to which new media can enrich democracy.
3. Use the scoop.it page to do some reading / watching in order to improve your work on New Media.
(Check out this link - PDF of a book called We Media focusing on journalism is available)
When adding/ redrafting already-posted essays, it would be good if you changed to colour of your font or underlined to signal your amendments. Or copy/paste first then improve into a new post clearly marked Redraft.
Please see below for Mr Molloy's task due in on the first Monday back.
2. Make sure you improve the previous essays on Narrative and Genre, as well as your WeMedia essay on the extent to which new media can enrich democracy.
3. Use the scoop.it page to do some reading / watching in order to improve your work on New Media.
(Check out this link - PDF of a book called We Media focusing on journalism is available)
When adding/ redrafting already-posted essays, it would be good if you changed to colour of your font or underlined to signal your amendments. Or copy/paste first then improve into a new post clearly marked Redraft.
Please see below for Mr Molloy's task due in on the first Monday back.
Monday 26 March 2012
Q1a: Digital Technology/Creativity - Essay Due First Lesson Back after the Holiday
Describe how you developed your skills in the use of digital technology for media production and evaluate how these skills contributed to your creative decision making. Refer to a range of examples in your answer to show how these skills developed over time.
Remember you only have 30 minutes to write this answer in the exam.
Remember you only have 30 minutes to write this answer in the exam.
Thursday 22 March 2012
Genre Q1b - Due in Thursday 29.3.12
1. Continue your reading (see below about 'net pessimists' and updated Scoop.it page) and amending your WeMedia essay using feedback to improve.
2. Complete your q1b response on Genre.
3. Peer-assess another student's work on Narrative. BTW, the missing ones must be uploaded by the end of tomorrow. You've been warned!
Here is that exemplar answer from OCR on genre (Q1b)- 25/25
The media production I am going to write about in relation to genre is my favourite piece from the whole course which is my horror teaser trailer.
The genre of the trailer is obviously ‘horror’ and this in itself allowed us to be creative with narrative etc but limited us because we had to stick to a certain amount of generic conventions in order for it to be recognised by it’s existing target audience. Steve Neal said that ‘genre is a repetition with an underlying pattern of variations’ which meant certain generic features had to be included and repeated which in my case was the use of a creepy location of the woods as well as hand held camera and restricted narration to cause disorientation and suspense within our trailer. However, the pattern of variation Neal describes also links to my horror teaser trailer because we were able to creatively push the boundaries by twisting some generic features in order to make the trailer interesting and therefore cause the audience to want to watch the full movie. For this my group chose use a female psycho killer I order to subvert the stereotypical male dominated role. This female identification through point of view shots etc captured our female audience because were providing them with power and this is unusual for the horror genre although it is known for its forward thinking approach as it often attempts to focus on subcultural views instead of targeting the mainstream. Genre encompasses many parts and the trailer links to it in more ways than one. Its use of enclosed location and the fact the woods attempts to reinforce our society’s fear of loneliness and isolation which the woods creates when the three friends get lost. In these sections of the trailer we used a lot of heavy cross cutting between the female victim who is running anxiously through the woods in order to find her friends and get home safely. We also used the Kuleshove and collision cutting methods as the pace began slow as the friends head our in the car unaware of the danger before them and once they are in the woods we deliberately quickened the pace of editing to cause tension and to show that something is not right, keeping the audience on the edge of their seats.
Editing and mise-en-scene is really important to genre and reflects very quickly certain moods and atmospheres. Levi Strauss and Roland Barthes argued that the horror genre like many others used ‘binary oppositions’ in order to show the contrast between good and evil in order to force the audience to be constantly questioning the trailer for example; in my trailer I used light and dark to connote their happiness and carefree attitude in the daytime and the darkness to emphasise their fear and reliance on their senses. This is particularly important to the horror genre as characters are often shown in high angle shots to appear vulnerable and therefore under threat.
Gore or ‘body horror’ is also a common generic convention used by most horror films that we studied including Dawn of the Dead by George A. Romero who used it to make the audience feel sick by forcing them to see extreme violence. In my own trailer we were inspired to use gore differently by showing a hanging scene in slow motion to create tension and the centoring in on the face and neck which had been broken and this was shown by the rope burn we had made from latex and the blood pouring down her chest. This shot moves clockwise and slowly zooms in to force the audience to see what the hang (woman) has done. In our final two shots we finish the trailer with the male anti hero being lifted off the ground with blood pouring out of his mouth which causes the audience to assume no one survives because the final girl is stabbed by her friend accidentally which quickens the pace and adds tension but she is the survivor who as Carol Clover suggests will be terrorised throughout the film and finally overcome the monster. This plays with the audiences emotions and links back to the horror genre well by creating our own style of horror. Andrew Sarris argues because it encompasses so much and is key to explaining a film. Genre is the ideas that collectively make a particular recognisable style that draws in its existing target audience. My horror trailer had expressionist camera angles as the female victim desperately trips over the camera and we see her running above it as well as close ups of her facial expression that causes us to identify with her fear and therefore makes us scared. This meant the audience also were forced to objectify the female victim from the high angle camera shot down her top in which we can see her breasts slightly after watching other Hitchcock movies which use the male gaze theory by Laura Mulvey to force us to take a male’s viewpoint.
In my trailer we also used an iconic symbol of the noose because obviously as a hangwoman she needed the prop but also as a female the circular shape suggested female power and this is something the horror genre often does but for male characters using guns etc as phallic symbols which we also used as the male anti hero takes out a knife and stabs his friend frantically when she walks up behind him. The horror trailer was made much darker in Final Cut Pro using the brightness and contrast menu and also dragged the saturated colours towards the blue in order to create a dark, dusky night time atmosphere a generic convention of horror trailers.
The generic conventions we chose to use were all important to the success of our product and since distributing it on YouTube we have over 4000 which I am really pleased with and gives me the confidence that we obviously stuck to the genre enough to capture our intended target audience but were creative enough to make people want to keep watching the trailer and virally sharing it with others.
Genre places a media text into a grouping giving it an identity which can be recognised by the mainstream society and I believe my product is successfully fitted to the horror genre using the narrative that todorov argued was important to the horror genre by following an equilibrium at the beginning then a problem which in our case was the male anti hero playing a joke on the soon to be female victim making jump running after him causing their separation then a pathway to resolution – as they attempt to find each other and then a new equilibrium at the end which we deliberately left as an open ending to capture our audience effectively.
EAA 10
EG 10
Term 5
And finally:
2. Complete your q1b response on Genre.
3. Peer-assess another student's work on Narrative. BTW, the missing ones must be uploaded by the end of tomorrow. You've been warned!
Here is that exemplar answer from OCR on genre (Q1b)- 25/25
The media production I am going to write about in relation to genre is my favourite piece from the whole course which is my horror teaser trailer.
The genre of the trailer is obviously ‘horror’ and this in itself allowed us to be creative with narrative etc but limited us because we had to stick to a certain amount of generic conventions in order for it to be recognised by it’s existing target audience. Steve Neal said that ‘genre is a repetition with an underlying pattern of variations’ which meant certain generic features had to be included and repeated which in my case was the use of a creepy location of the woods as well as hand held camera and restricted narration to cause disorientation and suspense within our trailer. However, the pattern of variation Neal describes also links to my horror teaser trailer because we were able to creatively push the boundaries by twisting some generic features in order to make the trailer interesting and therefore cause the audience to want to watch the full movie. For this my group chose use a female psycho killer I order to subvert the stereotypical male dominated role. This female identification through point of view shots etc captured our female audience because were providing them with power and this is unusual for the horror genre although it is known for its forward thinking approach as it often attempts to focus on subcultural views instead of targeting the mainstream. Genre encompasses many parts and the trailer links to it in more ways than one. Its use of enclosed location and the fact the woods attempts to reinforce our society’s fear of loneliness and isolation which the woods creates when the three friends get lost. In these sections of the trailer we used a lot of heavy cross cutting between the female victim who is running anxiously through the woods in order to find her friends and get home safely. We also used the Kuleshove and collision cutting methods as the pace began slow as the friends head our in the car unaware of the danger before them and once they are in the woods we deliberately quickened the pace of editing to cause tension and to show that something is not right, keeping the audience on the edge of their seats.
Editing and mise-en-scene is really important to genre and reflects very quickly certain moods and atmospheres. Levi Strauss and Roland Barthes argued that the horror genre like many others used ‘binary oppositions’ in order to show the contrast between good and evil in order to force the audience to be constantly questioning the trailer for example; in my trailer I used light and dark to connote their happiness and carefree attitude in the daytime and the darkness to emphasise their fear and reliance on their senses. This is particularly important to the horror genre as characters are often shown in high angle shots to appear vulnerable and therefore under threat.
Gore or ‘body horror’ is also a common generic convention used by most horror films that we studied including Dawn of the Dead by George A. Romero who used it to make the audience feel sick by forcing them to see extreme violence. In my own trailer we were inspired to use gore differently by showing a hanging scene in slow motion to create tension and the centoring in on the face and neck which had been broken and this was shown by the rope burn we had made from latex and the blood pouring down her chest. This shot moves clockwise and slowly zooms in to force the audience to see what the hang (woman) has done. In our final two shots we finish the trailer with the male anti hero being lifted off the ground with blood pouring out of his mouth which causes the audience to assume no one survives because the final girl is stabbed by her friend accidentally which quickens the pace and adds tension but she is the survivor who as Carol Clover suggests will be terrorised throughout the film and finally overcome the monster. This plays with the audiences emotions and links back to the horror genre well by creating our own style of horror. Andrew Sarris argues because it encompasses so much and is key to explaining a film. Genre is the ideas that collectively make a particular recognisable style that draws in its existing target audience. My horror trailer had expressionist camera angles as the female victim desperately trips over the camera and we see her running above it as well as close ups of her facial expression that causes us to identify with her fear and therefore makes us scared. This meant the audience also were forced to objectify the female victim from the high angle camera shot down her top in which we can see her breasts slightly after watching other Hitchcock movies which use the male gaze theory by Laura Mulvey to force us to take a male’s viewpoint.
In my trailer we also used an iconic symbol of the noose because obviously as a hangwoman she needed the prop but also as a female the circular shape suggested female power and this is something the horror genre often does but for male characters using guns etc as phallic symbols which we also used as the male anti hero takes out a knife and stabs his friend frantically when she walks up behind him. The horror trailer was made much darker in Final Cut Pro using the brightness and contrast menu and also dragged the saturated colours towards the blue in order to create a dark, dusky night time atmosphere a generic convention of horror trailers.
The generic conventions we chose to use were all important to the success of our product and since distributing it on YouTube we have over 4000 which I am really pleased with and gives me the confidence that we obviously stuck to the genre enough to capture our intended target audience but were creative enough to make people want to keep watching the trailer and virally sharing it with others.
Genre places a media text into a grouping giving it an identity which can be recognised by the mainstream society and I believe my product is successfully fitted to the horror genre using the narrative that todorov argued was important to the horror genre by following an equilibrium at the beginning then a problem which in our case was the male anti hero playing a joke on the soon to be female victim making jump running after him causing their separation then a pathway to resolution – as they attempt to find each other and then a new equilibrium at the end which we deliberately left as an open ending to capture our audience effectively.
EAA 10
EG 10
Term 5
And finally:
Key Concepts Of Genre
View more PowerPoint from Belinda Raji
Genre theory
View more PowerPoint from Media Studies
Monday 19 March 2012
A2 WeMedia - Were the net pessimists right?
Do read this, retweeted by Morozov.
Arab regimes embrace Twitter and Facebook - for their own ends
Also this (in case you haven't yet heard about Mike Daisey) ABOUT THE PERILS OF CITIZEN JOURNALISM.
Learning from Mr Daisey
Extracts:
"The bigger question is what we've learned about journalism in the age of what the writer Andrew Keen has called the "cult of the amateur". I believe the whole affair has reinforced the value of journalism as a profession. Because it was professional journalists at This American Life who uncovered the truth about their own programme, and professional editors who had the courage and integrity to make a very public admission of their errors." [...]
"That's not to say that citizen journalists and bloggers haven't contributed greatly to the flow of information, comment and insight that the digital age has brought us. Nor is a professional training any guarantee that a journalist will prove to be accurate, honest or ethical.
But to listen to the forensic job that Ira Glass does in his interview with Mike Daisey is to come away convinced that the values to which professional journalists aspire are worth preserving."
Finally, the big news is that you can now read the afterword of Evgeny Morozov's book, The Net Delusion, How Not To Liberate The World, online for free. AT least try to skim it and collect a couple of gems for your essays! You can read it here. (and the ebook here!)
But first, this is an accessible Guardian article penned by Morozov:
Facebook and Twitter are just places revolutionaries go
Cyber-utopians who believe the Arab spring has been driven by social networks ignore the real-world activism underpinning them
And as a bonus, this is a review of his book from the New Stateman. It's hard to read but the last 2 paragraphs will do! Now what do you think is a 'cyber-realist'? Clue = rather the opposite of a cyber-utopian!
New Statesman's review of Evgeny Morozov's Net Delusion
For the A/A* of this world, there is also this article discussing the ideas in the book in more detail:
The Internet: For Better or For Worse
Arab regimes embrace Twitter and Facebook - for their own ends
Also this (in case you haven't yet heard about Mike Daisey) ABOUT THE PERILS OF CITIZEN JOURNALISM.
Learning from Mr Daisey
Extracts:
"The bigger question is what we've learned about journalism in the age of what the writer Andrew Keen has called the "cult of the amateur". I believe the whole affair has reinforced the value of journalism as a profession. Because it was professional journalists at This American Life who uncovered the truth about their own programme, and professional editors who had the courage and integrity to make a very public admission of their errors." [...]
"That's not to say that citizen journalists and bloggers haven't contributed greatly to the flow of information, comment and insight that the digital age has brought us. Nor is a professional training any guarantee that a journalist will prove to be accurate, honest or ethical.
But to listen to the forensic job that Ira Glass does in his interview with Mike Daisey is to come away convinced that the values to which professional journalists aspire are worth preserving."
Finally, the big news is that you can now read the afterword of Evgeny Morozov's book, The Net Delusion, How Not To Liberate The World, online for free. AT least try to skim it and collect a couple of gems for your essays! You can read it here. (and the ebook here!)
But first, this is an accessible Guardian article penned by Morozov:
Facebook and Twitter are just places revolutionaries go
Cyber-utopians who believe the Arab spring has been driven by social networks ignore the real-world activism underpinning them
And as a bonus, this is a review of his book from the New Stateman. It's hard to read but the last 2 paragraphs will do! Now what do you think is a 'cyber-realist'? Clue = rather the opposite of a cyber-utopian!
New Statesman's review of Evgeny Morozov's Net Delusion
For the A/A* of this world, there is also this article discussing the ideas in the book in more detail:
The Internet: For Better or For Worse
Saturday 17 March 2012
Due in Thursday 22.3.12
I want to see all folders - particularly your notes on the MediaMag articles.
These should feed into your essays.
As we're now revising for Section 1 of the exam, don't forget to use the link on the right to help you (blog from Long Road).
You need to write (and hand in or post) your essay on Narrative in one of your productions - either your thriller opening or your music video. The set question is:
G325 Section a January 2011 II
These should feed into your essays.
As we're now revising for Section 1 of the exam, don't forget to use the link on the right to help you (blog from Long Road).
You need to write (and hand in or post) your essay on Narrative in one of your productions - either your thriller opening or your music video. The set question is:
‘Media text rely on cultural experiences in order for audiences to easily make sense of narratives’ Explain how you used conventional or experimental narrative approaches in one of your production pieces.
You can read an exemplar answer that was awarded 47 marks to guide you- q1b on Narrative.G325 Section a January 2011 II
Friday 9 March 2012
UPDATED - Independent Study - Due in Thursday 15th March
- Complete any reading you haven't done with relevant notes.
- Revise from class notes and overview sheet (+ attached theory notes)
- Clarify your ideas about Shirky and Morozov (the latter is interesting to follow on twitter! He doesn't hold back and doesn't seem to like Shirky and Jeff Jarvis too much! @evgenymorozov)
I'd like to see some quotes from theorists on your blogs; you need to start learning them.
- Post main points from what you investigated and presented in class.
Nearly there!
UPDATE:
LISTEN TO THIS: Today's (Tuesday 13.3.12) PM programme on Radio 4, last 13 minutes (from 46:40) - GREAT ANALYSIS OF KONY 2012. EXCELLENT RANGE OF VIEWS, PERFECT FOR YOUR ESSAYS!
BBC iPLAYER RADIO 4, PM PROGRAMME
Plus this great article:
CYBERACTIVISM IN THE EGYPTIAN REVOLUTION: HOW CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AND CITIZEN JOURNALISM TILTED THE BALANCE
- Revise from class notes and overview sheet (+ attached theory notes)
- Clarify your ideas about Shirky and Morozov (the latter is interesting to follow on twitter! He doesn't hold back and doesn't seem to like Shirky and Jeff Jarvis too much! @evgenymorozov)
I'd like to see some quotes from theorists on your blogs; you need to start learning them.
- Post main points from what you investigated and presented in class.
Nearly there!
UPDATE:
LISTEN TO THIS: Today's (Tuesday 13.3.12) PM programme on Radio 4, last 13 minutes (from 46:40) - GREAT ANALYSIS OF KONY 2012. EXCELLENT RANGE OF VIEWS, PERFECT FOR YOUR ESSAYS!
BBC iPLAYER RADIO 4, PM PROGRAMME
Plus this great article:
CYBERACTIVISM IN THE EGYPTIAN REVOLUTION: HOW CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AND CITIZEN JOURNALISM TILTED THE BALANCE
Monday 5 March 2012
WeMedia and Democracy Scoop.it
You can now find many relevant articles and links mentioned on the blog in one neat place:
WeMedia and Democracy Scoop.it
WeMedia and Democracy Scoop.it
Friday 2 March 2012
Due in 8.3.12 - WeMedia work
You need to finish and embed your "movie" on Jenkins, Wesch and Gauntlett. We'll watch them in the first lesson on Thursday. Prize will go to the best one.
Here's Yasmin's and Manan's (doesn't have to be about the music industry BTW):
You also need to continue with your reading and watching.
Next Thursday, I will need to see the notes you have been making on the Media Mag articles. I assume you keep them in your files since they're not on your blogs. You will be discussing your findings in class so make sure you have the main points down.
David, we are also waiting to see your Research which should have been ready for last Thursday...
Finally, check this out (Devki and Shreyaa will briefly talk to us about it next week):
Guardian Online New Open Journalism Page
Three Little Pigs Guardian advert:
Here's Yasmin's and Manan's (doesn't have to be about the music industry BTW):
Terrorz - Yasmin and Manan - Gauntlett and Wesch Video:
by: yasminamey22
You also need to continue with your reading and watching.
Next Thursday, I will need to see the notes you have been making on the Media Mag articles. I assume you keep them in your files since they're not on your blogs. You will be discussing your findings in class so make sure you have the main points down.
David, we are also waiting to see your Research which should have been ready for last Thursday...
Finally, check this out (Devki and Shreyaa will briefly talk to us about it next week):
Guardian Online New Open Journalism Page
Three Little Pigs Guardian advert:
Wednesday 29 February 2012
Saturday 25 February 2012
Homework due Monday 5th March
1. Sum up Michael Wesch's main point about the web (or Youtube in particular) in one paragraph.
2. Write down your understanding of the following terms used by Wesch: "networked individualism", "the invisible audience phenomenon", "context collapse", and "connection without constraint".
3. On the whole, do you agree or disagree with Wesch's ideas? Why?
4. How might Wesch's ideas be applied to the music industry (or, at least, the production of music)?
2. Write down your understanding of the following terms used by Wesch: "networked individualism", "the invisible audience phenomenon", "context collapse", and "connection without constraint".
3. On the whole, do you agree or disagree with Wesch's ideas? Why?
4. How might Wesch's ideas be applied to the music industry (or, at least, the production of music)?
Due in 1st March - WeMedia - UPDATED
- Redrafted essay on public sphere question.
Use feedback in books and suggested structure.
- Paired presentations on last week's research. Will be happening in the first lesson.
- Independent learning: use the overview map to start narrowing down your case studies and revise 'Who Says What?', read the 4 articles from the MediaMag, follow and read the links in the previous post. Make some notes and make sure to update your folder.
To read the latest MediaMag online, click here. You'll need the log in details. It's issue 39 you want to look at.
WE NOW HAVE 2 HARD COPIES OF THE LATEST MAG - ONE YOU CAN BORROW FROM US, ONE FROM THE SIXTH FORM LIBRARY. YOU WILL ALSO FIND PAST ISSUES IN THE LIBRARY AS THEY ALSO HAVE A SUBSCRIPTION.
TIP: SPREAD THE READING OVER THE WEEK! 20 minutes' slot = reading 1 article + make notes.
Use feedback in books and suggested structure.
- Paired presentations on last week's research. Will be happening in the first lesson.
- Independent learning: use the overview map to start narrowing down your case studies and revise 'Who Says What?', read the 4 articles from the MediaMag, follow and read the links in the previous post. Make some notes and make sure to update your folder.
To read the latest MediaMag online, click here. You'll need the log in details. It's issue 39 you want to look at.
WE NOW HAVE 2 HARD COPIES OF THE LATEST MAG - ONE YOU CAN BORROW FROM US, ONE FROM THE SIXTH FORM LIBRARY. YOU WILL ALSO FIND PAST ISSUES IN THE LIBRARY AS THEY ALSO HAVE A SUBSCRIPTION.
TIP: SPREAD THE READING OVER THE WEEK! 20 minutes' slot = reading 1 article + make notes.
Wednesday 22 February 2012
Two of your recommended writers on We Media are having a bit of an argument...
Evgeny Morozov, author of The Net Delusion, writes an interesting blog, called 'the net.effect' which you should skim occasionally.
The title of his latest post is:
Picking a fight with Clay Shirky
Clay Shirky makes several points in the comments section of this article:
Was What Happened in Tunisia a Twitter Revolution?
This article and comments are worth a read in themselves...
Well worth a few minutes of your time!
This is the video that Matthew and Josh found:
The title of his latest post is:
Picking a fight with Clay Shirky
Clay Shirky makes several points in the comments section of this article:
Was What Happened in Tunisia a Twitter Revolution?
This article and comments are worth a read in themselves...
Well worth a few minutes of your time!
While we're at it, this is a quick one on Zizi Papacharissi and The Virtual Sphere:
This is the video that Matthew and Josh found:
Sunday 19 February 2012
Work Due for Monday 27th February
Use the handouts from the lesson on Monday 20th February and do some online research to answer these questions:
1. What is Chris Anderson’s theory of ‘the long tail’?
2. What does the theory of ‘the long tail’ mean for the music industry and to other areas of the media such as online television?
3. What is Don Tapscott and Anthony Williams’ theory of Wikinomics?
4. What are the five big ideas of Wikinomics and how might these ideas be applied to the music industry?
These videos might be helpful (although the Chris Anderson one is very "economics-ish" and you probably don't need to watch all of the Tapscott one):
Saturday 18 February 2012
Due in on Thursday 23.2.12
Complete your essay: Are the media becoming more democratic?
--> Use at least 2 case studies and make sure to mention hegemony and public sphere. You could quote Clay Shirky or anyone else we have come across (Papacharissi etc.), or anyone from the articles and videos we have provided.
Intro should offer an overview of the arguments.
VERY FEW OF YOU HAVE PICKED UP THE NOTES AND ARTICLES. IF YOU STILL HAVEN'T, THEY'RE IN THE POD... The 4 recommended articles are all compulsory reading from the Media Mag. You can find them online from the English and Media Centre, once you've logged in, in the archives (they're all from the February 2012 issue). Aim to have read all 4 over the next couple of weeks.
Read/ Watch recommended links (see Twitter feed and below) or find your own links and embed links and add comments in your own blogs.
Folders / independent study check. (please make sure you bring it- some of you did not have it last time- Negative Referral if missing again).
Watch this:
http://www.ted.com/talks/paul_lewis_crowdsourcing_the_news.html
You can go over this very useful summary of what we mean by Hegemony.
The last slide suggests that New Media is a way of challenging hegemonic forces by allowing a new flourish of plurality. Of course, as an A2 student, you have to consider to what extent this is the case.
And of course, you need to show that you understand how the emergence of New Media challenges what happens when traditional media dominate. I showed you this short clip to make the point. Look at it again!
Below is a great TED talk about the Digital Divide. This is clearly a criticism of the idea that New Media is a force for democracy; some people are "digitally excluded". The first 5 minutes make the point.
Finally, if you haven't yet watched the Clay Shirky documentary, DO IT NOW. You're very likely to quote him in your essay so... here is the link again.
Us Now - Clay Shirky
http://nolongernew.blogspot.com/2010/01/revolution-happens-when-society-adopts.html
PS: A good explanation of the Public Sphere: (pay attention to the last 2 minutes for essay ideas on the Public Sphere and the Internet)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bHixAB3NKo8&feature=related
--> Use at least 2 case studies and make sure to mention hegemony and public sphere. You could quote Clay Shirky or anyone else we have come across (Papacharissi etc.), or anyone from the articles and videos we have provided.
Intro should offer an overview of the arguments.
VERY FEW OF YOU HAVE PICKED UP THE NOTES AND ARTICLES. IF YOU STILL HAVEN'T, THEY'RE IN THE POD... The 4 recommended articles are all compulsory reading from the Media Mag. You can find them online from the English and Media Centre, once you've logged in, in the archives (they're all from the February 2012 issue). Aim to have read all 4 over the next couple of weeks.
Read/ Watch recommended links (see Twitter feed and below) or find your own links and embed links and add comments in your own blogs.
Folders / independent study check. (please make sure you bring it- some of you did not have it last time- Negative Referral if missing again).
Watch this:
http://www.ted.com/talks/paul_lewis_crowdsourcing_the_news.html
You can go over this very useful summary of what we mean by Hegemony.
The last slide suggests that New Media is a way of challenging hegemonic forces by allowing a new flourish of plurality. Of course, as an A2 student, you have to consider to what extent this is the case.
And of course, you need to show that you understand how the emergence of New Media challenges what happens when traditional media dominate. I showed you this short clip to make the point. Look at it again!
Below is a great TED talk about the Digital Divide. This is clearly a criticism of the idea that New Media is a force for democracy; some people are "digitally excluded". The first 5 minutes make the point.
Finally, if you haven't yet watched the Clay Shirky documentary, DO IT NOW. You're very likely to quote him in your essay so... here is the link again.
Us Now - Clay Shirky
http://nolongernew.blogspot.com/2010/01/revolution-happens-when-society-adopts.html
PS: A good explanation of the Public Sphere: (pay attention to the last 2 minutes for essay ideas on the Public Sphere and the Internet)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bHixAB3NKo8&feature=related
Tuesday 14 February 2012
Saturday 4 February 2012
Two Tasks due for Monday 20th February
You will hopefully have time to begin work on these tasks in the second lesson on Monday 6th February. Both tasks are due on Monday 20th February (the first day back after the half-term break).
Task One
Show your understanding of David Gauntlett's ideas on your blog. Use these questions to help you:
1. According to Gauntlett, what was "the media" like in the past and what changes have now occurred?
2. How far do you agree with Gauntlett?
3. How might Gauntlett's ideas be applied to the music industry?
Post your work in the form of writing or a video or something else...
Task Two
Prepare a "music industry in the online age" case study and be ready to present your findings to the class on Monday 20th February. Your case study could focus on an artist (e.g., Lana del Rey), a website or service (e.g., Spotify or Rara), a practice (e.g., downloading or streaming), a problem (e.g., piracy)...It's up to you, but try to make your case study as up-to-date as possible. (No Lily Allen or Arctic Monkeys.)
In your case study, try to refer to some or all of these points:
- the impact of online media on the music industry and how the industry has changed from the past;
- the impact of online media on the production and distribution of music;
- how consumer behaviour and audience response has changed;
- how technological convergence has affected the industry.
Your presentation can be in the form of a video, a poster, a photo montage, or anything else you like. Be creative. If you choose to do a Powerpoint or a Prezi, do not read off the screen.
Try to bring some theory into your case study (e.g., Gauntlett's ideas).
Browse some of the links below to get you started if you're stuck:
Spotify’s Daniel Ek: Music industry 'entering golden age'
The Difference Between the Music Industry & The Recording Industry
IFPI digital report: annual music download revenues top $5bn for first time
Spotify now has 3 million paying customers
STOP COMPLAINING! Study Shows New Era Of Abundance In Music, Entertainment [INFOGRAPHIC]
Digital Music Piracy Since 2004 [INFOGRAPHIC]
The Civil Wars' Success Formula: Live Shows + Social Media + Music Placements
And the "20 things you must know about Music Online" link on the right!
Or simply click on the HYPEBOT.COM link above to find good case studies.
Task One
Show your understanding of David Gauntlett's ideas on your blog. Use these questions to help you:
1. According to Gauntlett, what was "the media" like in the past and what changes have now occurred?
2. How far do you agree with Gauntlett?
3. How might Gauntlett's ideas be applied to the music industry?
Post your work in the form of writing or a video or something else...
Task Two
Prepare a "music industry in the online age" case study and be ready to present your findings to the class on Monday 20th February. Your case study could focus on an artist (e.g., Lana del Rey), a website or service (e.g., Spotify or Rara), a practice (e.g., downloading or streaming), a problem (e.g., piracy)...It's up to you, but try to make your case study as up-to-date as possible. (No Lily Allen or Arctic Monkeys.)
In your case study, try to refer to some or all of these points:
- the impact of online media on the music industry and how the industry has changed from the past;
- the impact of online media on the production and distribution of music;
- how consumer behaviour and audience response has changed;
- how technological convergence has affected the industry.
Your presentation can be in the form of a video, a poster, a photo montage, or anything else you like. Be creative. If you choose to do a Powerpoint or a Prezi, do not read off the screen.
Try to bring some theory into your case study (e.g., Gauntlett's ideas).
Browse some of the links below to get you started if you're stuck:
Spotify’s Daniel Ek: Music industry 'entering golden age'
The Difference Between the Music Industry & The Recording Industry
IFPI digital report: annual music download revenues top $5bn for first time
Spotify now has 3 million paying customers
STOP COMPLAINING! Study Shows New Era Of Abundance In Music, Entertainment [INFOGRAPHIC]
Digital Music Piracy Since 2004 [INFOGRAPHIC]
The Civil Wars' Success Formula: Live Shows + Social Media + Music Placements
And the "20 things you must know about Music Online" link on the right!
Or simply click on the HYPEBOT.COM link above to find good case studies.
Thursday 2 February 2012
Reminder - Due in Thursday 9.2.11
After such a fruitful discussion, it's time to practise putting ideas to paper.
1. Complete the essay started in lesson. The mark scheme can also be found in earlier post.
If there is a problem, see me BEFORE Thursday. You all made a good start so I am looking forward to reading your finished pieces.
If you were absent, find out from your peers or from me BEFORE Thursday.
2. Some of your mini-docs due in last week are not yet embedded in your blogs. MAKE SURE IT IS DONE ASAP.
3. Independent study - Notes from the article I gave you in class 2 lessons ago (there are questions to address on the last page) - Either in your folder or posted on your blog please. Raju and Nimesh, I have your copies in the English office. Please pick them up.
THE A STUDENT: Any interesting article(s) you come across can be linked on your blog with a couple of bullet points summing up topic/argument. Might be about the use of Social Media (maybe Facebook or Twitter specifically) during the Arab Spring or something more specific you want to use as a case study/example.
You could also watch and embed the other parts of the 'How Facebook Changed the World /The Arab Spring' documentary in your blog - Time wisely spent!
1. Complete the essay started in lesson. The mark scheme can also be found in earlier post.
If there is a problem, see me BEFORE Thursday. You all made a good start so I am looking forward to reading your finished pieces.
If you were absent, find out from your peers or from me BEFORE Thursday.
2. Some of your mini-docs due in last week are not yet embedded in your blogs. MAKE SURE IT IS DONE ASAP.
3. Independent study - Notes from the article I gave you in class 2 lessons ago (there are questions to address on the last page) - Either in your folder or posted on your blog please. Raju and Nimesh, I have your copies in the English office. Please pick them up.
THE A STUDENT: Any interesting article(s) you come across can be linked on your blog with a couple of bullet points summing up topic/argument. Might be about the use of Social Media (maybe Facebook or Twitter specifically) during the Arab Spring or something more specific you want to use as a case study/example.
You could also watch and embed the other parts of the 'How Facebook Changed the World /The Arab Spring' documentary in your blog - Time wisely spent!
Monday 30 January 2012
Homework for Monday 6th February
Next week you are going to make some posters on the music industry. One group will focus on the past, one on the present, and one on the future. The posters should contain images and text. You need to research your area of focus and bring plenty of materials to the lesson. There will be a prize for the best poster and for anyone who successfully relates David Gauntlett's ideas to their area of focus. (In other words, you need to know Gauntlett's ideas well enough to apply them to your poster.)
Past: Yasmin, Matthew, Raju, David.
Present: Khushel, Hemel, Manan, Shreyaa.
Future: Devki, Josh, Omar, Nimesh.
Past: Yasmin, Matthew, Raju, David.
Present: Khushel, Hemel, Manan, Shreyaa.
Future: Devki, Josh, Omar, Nimesh.
Thursday 26 January 2012
Wider Reading (Watching) / Independent Study and Home Learning
We strongly recommend that you watch the following:
How Facebook Changed The World - The Arab Spring
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lnPR90dJ3Gk
The Virtual Revolution
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJWsCggAst4 Part 1 of 4, 2010 series
Us Now - Clay Shirky
http://nolongernew.blogspot.com/2010/01/revolution-happens-when-society-adopts.html
Habermas’ “public sphere”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fSNs_QYNIN0&feature=related
As part of your independent study, I will expect to see some notes / bullet points on at least 2 of these. For next week, you should focus on "How Facebook..." and the Habermas one. The rest is a bonus and you will watch some of The Virtual Revolution in school.
BRING YOUR FOLDERS NEXT THURSDAY WITHOUT FAIL. IT SHOULD BE PROPERLY ORGANISED IN 2 MAIN SECTIONS (one for each unit) WITH YOUR NOTES FROM LESSONS, HANDOUTS AND NOTES FROM INDEPENDENT STUDY (these could be a printout of what you put on your blog).
The Home learning tasks are:
- Complete your mini case study documentary and upload to your blog.
- Read the article I have handed out and complete the task set at the end of it.
Any problem, please ask me early rather than the night before.
Remember: "Aim high. Work hard."
How Facebook Changed The World - The Arab Spring
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lnPR90dJ3Gk
The Virtual Revolution
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJWsCggAst4 Part 1 of 4, 2010 series
Us Now - Clay Shirky
http://nolongernew.blogspot.com/2010/01/revolution-happens-when-society-adopts.html
Habermas’ “public sphere”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fSNs_QYNIN0&feature=related
As part of your independent study, I will expect to see some notes / bullet points on at least 2 of these. For next week, you should focus on "How Facebook..." and the Habermas one. The rest is a bonus and you will watch some of The Virtual Revolution in school.
BRING YOUR FOLDERS NEXT THURSDAY WITHOUT FAIL. IT SHOULD BE PROPERLY ORGANISED IN 2 MAIN SECTIONS (one for each unit) WITH YOUR NOTES FROM LESSONS, HANDOUTS AND NOTES FROM INDEPENDENT STUDY (these could be a printout of what you put on your blog).
The Home learning tasks are:
- Complete your mini case study documentary and upload to your blog.
- Read the article I have handed out and complete the task set at the end of it.
Any problem, please ask me early rather than the night before.
Remember: "Aim high. Work hard."
Monday 23 January 2012
Homework for Monday 30th January
The internet stands accused of having a negative effect on the world.
In groups of three, you are going to put the internet on trial. One person will be the defendant (i.e., the internet), one will be the prosecution, and one the defence. Come to the lesson fully prepared. Your performance will be filmed.
Group 1: Yasmin, Nimesh, Hemel
Group 2: Khushel, Matthew, Raju
Group 3: Shreyaa, Omar, Josh
Group 4: Devki, Manan, David
Try to cover more than just pros and cons of the web. Bring in some of the larger, more philosophical questions that we introduced in today's lesson.
Some questions to get you thinking:
Has the web really revolutionised the media (and society)?
Does the web promote democracy?
Has the web taken power from the old media elites (David Gauntlett's "Gods") and given power to the people?
Has the web simply given power to new unaccountable elites (like Google and Facebook)?
Should the web be regulated and controlled, and what are the dangers here?
Can the web be used to reshape and revolutionise society as a whole?
In groups of three, you are going to put the internet on trial. One person will be the defendant (i.e., the internet), one will be the prosecution, and one the defence. Come to the lesson fully prepared. Your performance will be filmed.
Group 1: Yasmin, Nimesh, Hemel
Group 2: Khushel, Matthew, Raju
Group 3: Shreyaa, Omar, Josh
Group 4: Devki, Manan, David
Try to cover more than just pros and cons of the web. Bring in some of the larger, more philosophical questions that we introduced in today's lesson.
Some questions to get you thinking:
Has the web really revolutionised the media (and society)?
Does the web promote democracy?
Has the web taken power from the old media elites (David Gauntlett's "Gods") and given power to the people?
Has the web simply given power to new unaccountable elites (like Google and Facebook)?
Should the web be regulated and controlled, and what are the dangers here?
Can the web be used to reshape and revolutionise society as a whole?
Sunday 22 January 2012
G325 - Section B - Past Exam Questions and key prompts
Media in the Online Age
1. What impact has the internet had on media production, distribution and exhibition?
2. In the last few years what have been the most significant developments in how individuals use the internet?
3. "The impact of the internet on the media is revolutionary." Discuss..
1. What impact has the internet had on media production, distribution and exhibition?
2. In the last few years what have been the most significant developments in how individuals use the internet?
3. "The impact of the internet on the media is revolutionary." Discuss..
4. “For media audiences, the internet has changed everything.” Discuss.
5. “The impact of the internet on the media is exaggerated”. Discuss.
6. Discuss the extent to which the distribution and consumption of media have been transformed by the internet
7. Explain the extent to which online media exist alongside older methods of distribution in 2010.
8. Evaluate the opportunities and the threats offered to media producers by the internet.
5. “The impact of the internet on the media is exaggerated”. Discuss.
6. Discuss the extent to which the distribution and consumption of media have been transformed by the internet
7. Explain the extent to which online media exist alongside older methods of distribution in 2010.
8. Evaluate the opportunities and the threats offered to media producers by the internet.
We Media and Democracy
1. How far can the media in 2010 be considered to be democratic?
2. Assess the claim that the media is becoming more democratic.
3. Discuss the meanings of the term ‘we media.’
4. Explore the claim that the ‘new’ media are more democratic than the ‘old’ media.
5. What is ‘we media’ and what difference does it make to citizens?
6. ‘We get the media we deserve.’ Discuss, in relation to the role of media in a democracy.
Specification Question Prompts:
Online Age:
1. How far can the media in 2010 be considered to be democratic?
2. Assess the claim that the media is becoming more democratic.
3. Discuss the meanings of the term ‘we media.’
4. Explore the claim that the ‘new’ media are more democratic than the ‘old’ media.
5. What is ‘we media’ and what difference does it make to citizens?
6. ‘We get the media we deserve.’ Discuss, in relation to the role of media in a democracy.
Specification Question Prompts:
Online Age:
If we look at the bullet points in the Specification, which defines what should be studied, we should be able to see what kinds of question can come up:
• How have online media developed? (change from the past)
• What has been the impact of the internet on media production? (does it allow more people to produce their own media? what effect has it had on mainstream media?)
• How is consumer behaviour and audience response transformed by online media, in relation to the past? (audiences and the difference the internet has made)
• To what extent has convergence transformed the media? (technology's impact- mobile devices, tv online, etc)
• How have online media developed? (change from the past)
• What has been the impact of the internet on media production? (does it allow more people to produce their own media? what effect has it had on mainstream media?)
• How is consumer behaviour and audience response transformed by online media, in relation to the past? (audiences and the difference the internet has made)
• To what extent has convergence transformed the media? (technology's impact- mobile devices, tv online, etc)
We Media and democracy:
If we look at the bullet points in the Specification, which defines what should be studied, we should be able to relate them to the questions set so far:
• What are ‘We Media’?
• Where / how has ‘We Media’ emerged?
• In what way are the contemporary media more democratic than before?
• In what ways are the contemporary media less democratic than before?
If we look at the bullet points in the Specification, which defines what should be studied, we should be able to relate them to the questions set so far:
• What are ‘We Media’?
• Where / how has ‘We Media’ emerged?
• In what way are the contemporary media more democratic than before?
• In what ways are the contemporary media less democratic than before?
Pete's Media Blog Advice:
Mark Scheme for Section B - Level 4
Explanation / analysis / argument (16-20 marks)
Candidates adapt their learning to the specific requirements of the chosen question in excellent fashion and make connections in order to present a coherent argument. The answer offers a clear, fluent balance of media theories and knowledge of industries and texts and informed personal engagement with issues and debates.
Use of examples (16-20 marks)
Examples of contemporary texts and industry knowledge are clearly connected together in the answer. History and the future are integrated into the discussion with conviction.
Use of terminology (8-10 marks)
Throughout the answer, material presented is informed by media theory and the command of the appropriate conceptual and theoretical language is excellent.
Complex issues have been expressed clearly and fluently using a style of writing appropriate to the complex subject matter. Sentences and paragraphs, consistently relevant, have been well structured, using appropriate technical terminology. There may be few, if any, errors of spelling, punctuation and grammar.
John Pilger's The War You Don't See - extracts
Reflect on the way traditional ('old') Media report the news and how New Media is changing the game (here, Wikileaks...)
How has the internet affected journalism?
Fantastic article from Aleks Krotoski's series of Untangling The Web:
How the internet has affected journalism
How the internet has affected journalism
Thursday 19 January 2012
Why the Music Industry Must Change Its Strategy to Reach Digital Natives
Why the Music Industry Must Change Its Strategy to Reach Digital Natives
Mark Mulligan is vice president and research director at Forrester Research, serving consumer product strategy professionals. He is a leading expert on music and digital media.
The music industry’s fortunes (or lack thereof) are familiar to most. The CD is suffering one of the longest death rattles in consumer product history, and it is becoming painfully clear that digital downloads are no knight in shining armor about to whisk up the fallen music business and ride off into the revenue growth sunset.
So how did we get here? What happened? The answer is simple: You. ...
Read more by clicking on the above link.
Mark Mulligan is vice president and research director at Forrester Research, serving consumer product strategy professionals. He is a leading expert on music and digital media.
The music industry’s fortunes (or lack thereof) are familiar to most. The CD is suffering one of the longest death rattles in consumer product history, and it is becoming painfully clear that digital downloads are no knight in shining armor about to whisk up the fallen music business and ride off into the revenue growth sunset.
So how did we get here? What happened? The answer is simple: You. ...
Read more by clicking on the above link.
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