Unit 1: media products and audiences

Representation theory 1- Laura Mulvey (1975) Male Gaze Women are objectified and represented from a masculine, heterosexual perspective.  For e.g. black widow Representation theory 2- Manuel Alvarado (1987) Racial representation Representation of ethnic minorities  Exotic  Pitied  Dangerous  Representation theory 3- Stuart Hall (1997) Institutions thorough ideology or by stereotyping. Any time a producer tries to fix a meaning of a person or event which will eventually reveal viewpoints and bias Representations theory 4- David Newman (2006) When the media represents the working class as a problem e.g. welfare cheats, drug addicts or criminals

Narrative theory 1- Claude-Levi Strauss (1958) Strauss suggests that binary opposition and the idea that things/objects/qualities that are directly parallel and opposite help to understand and fuel each other. This idea can be applied to media products and the characters within them. For example, a protagonist could be incredibly kind and thoughtful, directly contrasting an antagonist who could be heartless and horrible, e.g. Batman is the protagonist going against the Joker who is the antagonist.  Narrative Theory 2- Pam Cook (1985) Pam Cook argues that traditional narratives “have a linearity of cause and effect, with an overall trajectory of enigma situation”. Basically, this means something happens and it causes effects for the characters, A problem will be solved at the end. For example, Thanos’ plan in Avengers infinity war is to wipe out half the universes population, he succeeds in infinity war but in the following movie (End game) it is all solved.  Narrative theory 3...

Genre theory 1- Steve Neale (1980) “All contain instances of repetition and difference, difference is essential to the economy of the genre”.  Neale states that product and it genre is defined by two things: 1. How much it confirms it’s genre Individual conventions and stereotypes. A product must match the genres conventions to be identified as part of that genre. 2. How much a product subverts the genres conventions and stereotypes. The product must subvert convention enough to be considered unique and not just a clone of an existing product. Genre theory 2- Rich Altman(1999) Rich Altman states that genres “have different pleasures that entertain the audiences through familiarity how they respond to them”. Emotional pleasures, Intellectual pleasure, Visceral pleasure. For example, Friends is a comedy so the audience experiences laughter. It makes the audience laugh because of the cross cutting editing techniques between two areas. Friends is mainly set in the same area therefore i...

The three theoretical concepts we need to understand in relation to the 12-16 mark essay question in the U1 Exam that tests our understanding of LO3 Production Techniques and how they create meaning for audiences. GENRE- Conventions bad how genres are used by media institutions  NARRATIVE- How stories are structured REPRESENTATION- Mediation (re-presentation) of age, sexuality, gender, class, ethnicity and regional identity. 

Diegetic sound is sound which is in the actual film or video. Non-diegetic sound is where there is an additional sound the their actual sound such as theme music or added effects. Leitmotif is a recurring musical theme with a character such as imperial march with Darth Vader. Sync sound is sound recorded at the same time as the movie when being filmed. Wild sound is sound recorded separately to the filming.

Diegetic: hear the hitting, rain synchronised with the screen, squelch when walking in the mud, screaming of pain.  Non-diegetic Extra swoosh on the swinging of the weapon, enhanced hitting sound, slow motion Of the staff, Added music when riding off. Voice over at the end.  Life on Mars: Diegetic: dialogue, hit by car, there was a song in the car, bicycle ring suggested Time had gone by, Ambulance siren was diegetic but wasn’t synchronised on screen (asynchronous). Internal diegesis when he girl was whispering, footsteps, breathing, screech of the car. Non-diegetic- background music, silence after being hit by car.

Split screen is where the screen is split to show what’s happening else where at the same time. Intellectual montage is when a series of images that are unrelated when put together create meaning. Flashback/flashforward is where there is scene in the past or future to show important information. Graphic match is when there is an image with a certain shape and it dissolves into something with the same shape. Dissolve transition is when one image fades into another. Could connote a flashback or change in time. Wipe transition is the image is wiped off the screen. Fade transitions are where it fades from black to white or white to black.  Audio-visual form and sound :  Sound:  Diegetic/non-diegetic- from in the story (talking)/ added over the visuals (background music) Sound perspective- The feel of it, how far it feels from the audience  Internal diegetic- Sound that is thoughts (when we hear what the characters thinking)  Voice over/narration- When someone is tal...