Key media theory

Key Media Concepts

Media Language Representation Genre Audience Narrative

These should underpin all aspects of your practical work and will be a fundamental requirement of the exam.

Genre

Barry Keith Grant (1995) suggests that genre allows audiences to identify texts specifically by their familiar and recognisable characteristics.

Genre Jason Mittell (2001) argues that

industries use genre to sell products to audiences.

Genre

Denis McQuail – uses and gratifications Information – Learning, satisfying curiosity Personal Identity – gaining insight to ones self,

reinforcement of personal values. Integration and Social Interaction – Identifying with

others, sense of belonging Entertainment – escapism, relaxing, filling time

Genre Genres are not fixed. They constantly change

and evolve over time. David Buckingham (1993) argues that 'genre is

not... Simply "given" by the culture: rather, it is in a constant process of negotiation and change’.

Media Language

the language of film and television is defined by how camera, editing, sound and mise-en-scene create meaning

Codes and conventions in Music Videos Carol Vernallis (2001)

Vernalis’ theory centres around 4 key concepts that all relate to the way the music video is constructed (how it creates meaning). They are:

1. Narrative 2. Editing 3. Camera Movement and framing 4. Diegesis

Carol Vernallis

EditingJump cuts Juxtaposed shotsBreaking 180 degree rule

NarrativeDisjointed/fragmented narrativeMay not be clear resolutionVideo may pose question it doesn’t answer

Full information on Carol Vernallis is on G325 blog

Carol Vernallis

Camera movement and framing○ Camera moves in time with the music○ Close ups and master shots often used

Diegesis (the world of the music video)○ Diegesis revealed slowly ○ Character or objects move in time with the music○ Some frames more important than others○ There may be gaps in the audience’s understanding of the diegesis – in time and space,music, performance and narrative

Andrew Goodwin

Thought BeatsNarrative and Performance (repeatability)Star Image (also Dyer)Relation of visuals to a song (illustration,

amplification, disjuncture)Technical aspects (camera, editing, effects etc)

Andrew Goodwin’s Theory - Record companies will demand a lot of close-ups of the

main artist or vocalist - Voyeurism is present in many music videos, especially in

the treatment of females, but also in terms of systems of looking. Some examples are screens within screens, cameras, mirrors, etc.

- there are likely to be intertextual references, either to other music videos or to films and TV texts, these provide further gratification and pleasure for the viewers/fans.

Media Language/Genre/Representation

Laura Mulvey – Gaze Theory “Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema”

In film, the male gaze occurs when the audience is put into the perspective of aheterosexual man. A scene may linger on the curves of a woman's body, forinstance.

Feminists would argue that such instances are presented in the contextclosest relating to that of a male, hence its referral to being the Male Gaze.

Media Language

When analysing media language you must also consider the technical aspects and how these are used to create meaning:

Editing, camera, mise en scene

Representation Stuart Hall (1980) How the media shows

us things about society – but this is through careful mediation. Hence re-presentation.

For representation to be meaningful to audiences there needs to be a shared recognition of people, situations, ideas etc.

Representation

Stereotypes/race/age/gender/sexuality David Gauntlett (2007) argues that

“Identity is complicated. Everybody thinks they’ve got one. Artists play with the idea of identity in modern society.”

James Baker (2007)

1. Selection: Whatever ends up on the screen or in the paper, much more will have been left out.

2. Organisation: The various elements will be organised carefully in ways that real life is not

3. Focusing: mediation always ends up with us, the audience being encouraged towards concentrating on one aspect of the text and ignoring others.

As a producer of a media text you are responsible for how you construct representation.