Please have a look at the twitter fed for links to to videos mentioned in class.
And here is Charlie Brooker's How TV Ruined Your Life, series 1 episode 1 (look for the Cultivation Theory Bit around 15')
May I take this chance to remind you to read up on this topic! We have great books in the library and the Media pod. I'll show you some titles / recommended chapters in next lesson.
Thursday, 12 February 2015
Wednesday, 22 January 2014
Article links for Monday's lesson (27/01/14)
These are the links for the reading you are required to do for your lesson on Monday (27th Jan 2014).
There is also a video below too.
I have also added a folder to 'Media Resources' on the media drive called 'infographs' that contain useful stats in a graphical format.
Bjork on the evolving music industry
How Spotify made Lorde a superstar
Fan funded Album
Music download number fall
HMV launches digital service
Spotify merges with social media
itunes is no digital vampire
We're at the pointy end of labels' activities'
There is also a video below too.
I have also added a folder to 'Media Resources' on the media drive called 'infographs' that contain useful stats in a graphical format.
Bjork on the evolving music industry
How Spotify made Lorde a superstar
Fan funded Album
Music download number fall
HMV launches digital service
Spotify merges with social media
itunes is no digital vampire
We're at the pointy end of labels' activities'
Tuesday, 14 May 2013
Re-posting: Gauntlett and Jenkins
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.
Section B: Revise and consolidate - Make links
This is a re-posting of a revision / exam prep exercise that we did last year on We Media.
It is an exercise that focuses you on one of your chosen 'media areas' and forces you to link everything together. It is a kind of oral rehearsal of your essay. Have a look first:
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.
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.
Now is your turn. Two pairs to focus on Video-sharing platform and participatory culture. Two pairs to focus on music industry in the online age.
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.
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.
Now is your turn. Two pairs to focus on Video-sharing platform and participatory culture. Two pairs to focus on music industry in the online age.
Wednesday, 24 April 2013
Question 1a and Question 1b - Past questions and Exam Advice from Pete Fraser
Here are ALL previous questions for each element, from the exams in Jan and June 2010 and Jan 2011 and 2012.
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.
Describe how your analysis of the conventions of real media texts informed your own creative media practice. Refer to a range of examples in your answer to show how these skills developed over time.
Describe a range of creative decisions that you made in post-production and how these decisions made a difference to the final outcomes.
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.
Analyse media representation in one of your coursework production.
Explain how meaning is constructed by the use of media language in one of your coursework production.
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.
Describe how your analysis of the conventions of real media texts informed your own creative media practice. Refer to a range of examples in your answer to show how these skills developed over time.
Describe a range of creative decisions that you made in post-production and how these decisions made a difference to the final outcomes.
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.
Analyse media representation in one of your coursework production.
Explain how meaning is constructed by the use of media language in one of your coursework production.
Q1a - Creativity
Rahul, Snehal and Samir:
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.
Sharenieka and Carmela:
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.
Mathura:'
Describe how you developed your understanding of conventions and evaluate how this knowledge contributed to your creative decision making. Refer to a range of examples in your answer to show how these skills developed over time.
Aymen and Aruran:
Describe how you developed your skills in post 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.
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.
Sharenieka and Carmela:
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.
Mathura:'
Describe how you developed your understanding of conventions and evaluate how this knowledge contributed to your creative decision making. Refer to a range of examples in your answer to show how these skills developed over time.
Aymen and Aruran:
Describe how you developed your skills in post 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.
Wednesday, 13 February 2013
Audience Theories - Home learning and independent study - Due in first Monday back after half-term
1. Firstly, you need to complete more essays for question 1a/
(Remember that it should mention progress across your different projects).
YOU SHOULD ALL HAVE A MINIMUM OF THREE ESSAYS ADDRESSING AT LEAST 3 OF THE 5 AREAS.
REDRAFT AND EXPAND IN A DIFFERENT COLOUR TO SHOW US WHERE YOU HAVE HAVE MADE IMPROVEMENTS.
THIS IS AN ABSOLUTE REQUIREMENT - DO NOT COME TO YOUR NEXT LESSON WITHOUT HAVING COMPLETED THIS.
If you know what's good for you, you'll complete your 4th one as well.
2. You must spend time going through all the theories we have discussed. Please use the PPT which are linked on the right (under Good Links). They will help to consolidate and strecth your knowledge.
THIS SHOULD TAKE QUITE SOME TIME - AT LEAST A COUPLE OF HOURS - TO REALLY DIGEST ALL THE INFORMATION AND CONDUCT FURTHER RESEARCH.
Your notes on your assigned area should be on your blog so that everyone else can turn to you as an expert in that area.
3. Wider reading and watching.
Find interesting links to videos and documents to consolidate your understanding of Audience Theories. Embed into / Link from your blog.
For example, you should all watch the Brooker video I posted last week and I seriously doubt that you have done it.
The PPT below is also very useful and informative. Take the time to read and explore.
YOU SHOULD ALL HAVE A MINIMUM OF THREE ESSAYS ADDRESSING AT LEAST 3 OF THE 5 AREAS.
REDRAFT AND EXPAND IN A DIFFERENT COLOUR TO SHOW US WHERE YOU HAVE HAVE MADE IMPROVEMENTS.
THIS IS AN ABSOLUTE REQUIREMENT - DO NOT COME TO YOUR NEXT LESSON WITHOUT HAVING COMPLETED THIS.
If you know what's good for you, you'll complete your 4th one as well.
2. You must spend time going through all the theories we have discussed. Please use the PPT which are linked on the right (under Good Links). They will help to consolidate and strecth your knowledge.
THIS SHOULD TAKE QUITE SOME TIME - AT LEAST A COUPLE OF HOURS - TO REALLY DIGEST ALL THE INFORMATION AND CONDUCT FURTHER RESEARCH.
Your notes on your assigned area should be on your blog so that everyone else can turn to you as an expert in that area.
3. Wider reading and watching.
Find interesting links to videos and documents to consolidate your understanding of Audience Theories. Embed into / Link from your blog.
For example, you should all watch the Brooker video I posted last week and I seriously doubt that you have done it.
The PPT below is also very useful and informative. Take the time to read and explore.
Moral panicsnew from smcmediastudies
Do email if you struggle with any of these concepts but do remember that as A'Level students, you need to try and get unstuck on your own first.
Do email if you struggle with any of these concepts but do remember that as A'Level students, you need to try and get unstuck on your own first.
Wednesday, 6 February 2013
Starting to investigate media effects theory
Friday, 11 January 2013
MOCK REVISION - January 2013 (Part 3 - Question 2)
ESSENTIAL READING:
I gave you a copy but this is where you can access it. Read the first 20 pages (big writing, don't worry) and you should already be able to tackle the question with ease):
The 20 Things You Must Know AboutMusic Online by Andrew Dubber
http://newmusicstrategies.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/nms.pdf
(The link is also on the right hand side)
This student's blog is also excellent:
http://musicindustrysectionb.blogspot.co.uk/
Finally, this article should really help:
Why the Music Industry Must Change Its Strategy to Reach Digital Natives
Overview: 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.
And here are the short talks/presentations you gave your peers in class:
I gave you a copy but this is where you can access it. Read the first 20 pages (big writing, don't worry) and you should already be able to tackle the question with ease):
http://newmusicstrategies.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/nms.pdf
(The link is also on the right hand side)
This student's blog is also excellent:
http://musicindustrysectionb.blogspot.co.uk/
Finally, this article should really help:
Why the Music Industry Must Change Its Strategy to Reach Digital Natives
Overview: 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.
And here are the short talks/presentations you gave your peers in class:
MOCK REVISION - January 2013 (Part 2 - Question 1b)
Question 1b) - Analysing one of your production pieces focusing on the key concept of AUDIENCE
Here are a few reminders about the theories we have looked at and further materials to allow you to get ahead.
Here is Pete Fraser's advice:
Audience
Every media product has to have an audience, otherwise in both a business sense and probably an artistic sense too it would be judged a failure. In your projects, you will undoubtedly have been looking at the idea of a target audience- who you are aiming it at and why; you should also have taken feedback from a real audience in some way at the end of the project for your digital evaluation, which involves finding out how the audience really ‘read’ what you had made. You were also asked at AS to consider how your product addressed your audience- what was it about it that particularly worked to ‘speak’ to them? All this is effectively linked to audience theory which you then need to reference and apply. Here are some links to some starting points for theories:
general intro
presentation on reception theory
Here are a few reminders about the theories we have looked at and further materials to allow you to get ahead.
Here is Pete Fraser's advice:
Audience
Every media product has to have an audience, otherwise in both a business sense and probably an artistic sense too it would be judged a failure. In your projects, you will undoubtedly have been looking at the idea of a target audience- who you are aiming it at and why; you should also have taken feedback from a real audience in some way at the end of the project for your digital evaluation, which involves finding out how the audience really ‘read’ what you had made. You were also asked at AS to consider how your product addressed your audience- what was it about it that particularly worked to ‘speak’ to them? All this is effectively linked to audience theory which you then need to reference and apply. Here are some links to some starting points for theories:
general intro
presentation on reception theory
MOCK REVISION - January 2013 (Part 1 - Question 1a)
With the mocks upon us, here is a quick post to help you get ready. It covers what we looked at in the session before Christmas and provides resources to help you revise.
STRUCTURE OF THE MOCK PAPER:
Question 1 a) - Reflection on your skill progression across the course
Question 1b) - Analysing one of your production with a focus on AUDIENCE
Question 2 - Essay on the music industry in the online age (two questions to choose from)
Let's focus on Question 1 a) first.
Question 1a) - Reflecting on the development of your skills across the course from the Foundation Portfolio to the Adavanced Portfolio.
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
EXAMPLES OF PAST QUESTIONS:
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.
AND HERE'S ADVICE FROM PETE FRASER, YOUR CHIEF EXAMINER:
(From his blog - an essential revision tool: Pete's Media Blog )
"You will notice that each of these (questions) begins by asking you to 'describe' and then goes on to ask you to reflect in some way: "evaluate", "how you used" "how your skills developed". Herein lies the key to this part of the exam! You only have half an hour for the question and you really need to make the most of that time by quickly moving from description (so the reader knows what you did) to analysis/evaluation/reflection, so he/she starts to understand what you learnt from it.
There are five possible areas which can come up:
- Digital technology
- Research and Planning
- Conventions of Real Media
- Post-Production
- Creativity.
If you look through those questions above, you will see that they all contain at least two of the five- creativity is mentioned (as 'creative decision making') in two of them alongside the main area (digital technology on one, research and planning skills in the other). In the third of those past questions , research is combined with conventions of real media. So as you can see, the question is likely to mix and match the five, so you HAVE to be able to think on your feet and answer the question that is there.
So, how do you get started preparing and revising this stuff? I would suggest that you begin by setting out, on cards or post-its, a list of answers to these questions:
What production activities have you done?
This should include both the main task and preliminary task from AS and the main and ancillaries at A2 plus any non-assessed activities you have done as practice, and additionally anything you have done outside the course which you might want to refer to, such as films made for other courses or skateboard videos made with your mates if you think you can make them relevant to your answer.
What digital technology have you used?
This should not be too hard- include hardware (cameras, phones for pictures/audio, computers and anything else you used) software (on your computer) and online programs, such as blogger, youtube etc
In what ways can the work you have done be described as creative?
This is a difficult question and one that does not have a correct answer as such, but ought to give you food for thought.
What different forms of research did you do?
Again you will need to include a variety of examples- institutional research (such as on how titles work in film openings), audience research (before you made your products and after you finished for feedback), research into conventions of media texts (layout, fonts, camera shots, soundtracks, everything!) and finally logistical research- recce shots of your locations, research into costume, actors, etc
What conventions of real media did you need to know about?
For this, it is worth making a list for each project you have worked on and categorising them by medium so that you don’t repeat yourself
What do you understand by ‘post-production’ in your work?
This one, I’ll answer for you- for the purpose of this exam, it is defined as everything after planning and shooting or live recording. In other words, the stage of your work where you manipulated your raw material on the computer, maybe using photoshop, a video editing program or desktop publishing.
For each of these lists, your next stage is to produce a set of examples- so that when you make the point in the exam, you can then back it up with a concrete example. You need to be able to talk about specific things you did in post-production and why they were significant, just as you need to do more than just say ‘I looked on youtube’ for conventions of real media, but actually name specific videos you looked at, what you gained from them and how they influenced your work.
This question will be very much about looking at your skills development over time, the process which brought about this progress, most if not all the projects you worked on from that list above, and about reflection on how how you as a media student have developed. Unusually, this is an exam which rewards you for talking about yourself and the work you have done!
Final tips: you need some practice- this is very hard to do without it! I’d have a crack at trying to write an essay on each of the areas, or at the very least doing a detailed plan with lots of examples. The fact that it is a 30 minute essay makes it very unusual, so you need to be able to tailor your writing to that length- a tough task!"
SEE YOU IN THE NEXT POST FOR QUESTION 1b)
STRUCTURE OF THE MOCK PAPER:
Question 1 a) - Reflection on your skill progression across the course
Question 1b) - Analysing one of your production with a focus on AUDIENCE
Question 2 - Essay on the music industry in the online age (two questions to choose from)
Let's focus on Question 1 a) first.
Question 1a) - Reflecting on the development of your skills across the course from the Foundation Portfolio to the Adavanced Portfolio.
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
EXAMPLES OF PAST QUESTIONS:
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.
AND HERE'S ADVICE FROM PETE FRASER, YOUR CHIEF EXAMINER:
(From his blog - an essential revision tool: Pete's Media Blog )
"You will notice that each of these (questions) begins by asking you to 'describe' and then goes on to ask you to reflect in some way: "evaluate", "how you used" "how your skills developed". Herein lies the key to this part of the exam! You only have half an hour for the question and you really need to make the most of that time by quickly moving from description (so the reader knows what you did) to analysis/evaluation/reflection, so he/she starts to understand what you learnt from it.
There are five possible areas which can come up:
- Digital technology
- Research and Planning
- Conventions of Real Media
- Post-Production
- Creativity.
If you look through those questions above, you will see that they all contain at least two of the five- creativity is mentioned (as 'creative decision making') in two of them alongside the main area (digital technology on one, research and planning skills in the other). In the third of those past questions , research is combined with conventions of real media. So as you can see, the question is likely to mix and match the five, so you HAVE to be able to think on your feet and answer the question that is there.
So, how do you get started preparing and revising this stuff? I would suggest that you begin by setting out, on cards or post-its, a list of answers to these questions:
What production activities have you done?
This should include both the main task and preliminary task from AS and the main and ancillaries at A2 plus any non-assessed activities you have done as practice, and additionally anything you have done outside the course which you might want to refer to, such as films made for other courses or skateboard videos made with your mates if you think you can make them relevant to your answer.
What digital technology have you used?
This should not be too hard- include hardware (cameras, phones for pictures/audio, computers and anything else you used) software (on your computer) and online programs, such as blogger, youtube etc
In what ways can the work you have done be described as creative?
This is a difficult question and one that does not have a correct answer as such, but ought to give you food for thought.
What different forms of research did you do?
Again you will need to include a variety of examples- institutional research (such as on how titles work in film openings), audience research (before you made your products and after you finished for feedback), research into conventions of media texts (layout, fonts, camera shots, soundtracks, everything!) and finally logistical research- recce shots of your locations, research into costume, actors, etc
What conventions of real media did you need to know about?
For this, it is worth making a list for each project you have worked on and categorising them by medium so that you don’t repeat yourself
What do you understand by ‘post-production’ in your work?
This one, I’ll answer for you- for the purpose of this exam, it is defined as everything after planning and shooting or live recording. In other words, the stage of your work where you manipulated your raw material on the computer, maybe using photoshop, a video editing program or desktop publishing.
For each of these lists, your next stage is to produce a set of examples- so that when you make the point in the exam, you can then back it up with a concrete example. You need to be able to talk about specific things you did in post-production and why they were significant, just as you need to do more than just say ‘I looked on youtube’ for conventions of real media, but actually name specific videos you looked at, what you gained from them and how they influenced your work.
This question will be very much about looking at your skills development over time, the process which brought about this progress, most if not all the projects you worked on from that list above, and about reflection on how how you as a media student have developed. Unusually, this is an exam which rewards you for talking about yourself and the work you have done!
Final tips: you need some practice- this is very hard to do without it! I’d have a crack at trying to write an essay on each of the areas, or at the very least doing a detailed plan with lots of examples. The fact that it is a 30 minute essay makes it very unusual, so you need to be able to tailor your writing to that length- a tough task!"
SEE YOU IN THE NEXT POST FOR QUESTION 1b)
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
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