Media  Literacy  and  the  Five  Basic  Principles  -­‐  Analysis    #1  All  media  are  constructions.  They  are  created  like  building  a  house.  #2  The  media  construct  reality.  #3  Audiences  negotiate  meaning  in  media.  #4  Media  have  commercial  implications.  #5    Media  contain  ideological  and  value  messages.    Key  questions:       1.  Who  is  making  this  image?    

      2.  What  creative  techniques  were  used  to  catch  my  attention?  

      3.  How  might  other  people  understand  this  message  differently      

                                       from  me?  

      4.  Why  is  this  photograph  being  taken?  

      5.  What  lifestyles,  values,  and  points  of  view  are  represented  in,  

               or  omitted  from  this  photo?  

      6.    Why  is  this  message  being  sent/published?  

Analyze  the  following  photos  by  referring  to  the  5  basic  principles  (above)  and  by  discussing  the  

key  questions  above.  Jot  down  your  ideas.  

 

       

   

 

S___________is very difficult to build when you are constantly viewing images of an ______________ and you are continuously bombarded by messages that communicate the message “__________________________________."  What  was  the  last  problem  you  didn't  know  about  and  then  an  ad  told  you  that  maybe  you  had  this  problem  and  maybe  you'd  buy  their  solution?  (bad  breath,  acne,  diet  products,  deoderant,  bad  hair,  protein  supplements...)      #5  Media  contain  ideological  and  value  messages.    It's  hard  to  see  the  ideological  (a  group  of  ideas  that  run  through  society)  and  value  messages  (friends  are  important  to  party  with)  in  ads  that  we  see  every  day.  Looking  at  historical  photographs  are  easier  to  see  the  ideological  ideas  at  work.    Preparing  for  the  Orange  Shirt  Day  assembly,  I  thought  about  the  photographs  I  found  that  were  taken  in  residential  schools.    Who  do  you  think  took  these  photos?            What  were  their  beliefs  about  these  schools?    What  message  were  the  photographs  conveying  at  the  time?    Now  that  we  know  how  horrible  these  schools  were,  what  message  do  these  photographs  convey  now?    Jot  down  notes  about  the  following  2  photographs.  Add  to  your  notes  during  the  class  discussion.                     Analysis    

   

 In  this  photo,  Indigenous  boys  are  praying  at  their  beds  in     Analysis  the  residential  school.    

   How  would  you  describe  this  photo  to  a  blind  person?  Being  very  literal  and  stating  exactly  what  is  in  the  photo  is  a  good  beginning  to  analyzing  any  photo.    Why  photograph  these  boys  praying?    Why  is  their  teacher  in  the  background?    Who  probably  took  this  photo?  What  values  are  they  illustrating  in  this  photo?    Where  do  you  think  this  photo  was  published?    6  Photographers  -­‐  1  Man  video  YouTube    Identify  as  many  elements  as  you  can  that  the  photographers  used  to  illustrate  the  various  "lives"  the  man  lived.      

 

6  Photographers  1  Man  continued  Describe  the  man's  position  in  the  photo.  How  much  of  his  body  do  we  see  or  not  see?  Facial  expressions  are  key  to  communicating  meaning.  What  is  his  expression?  Where  are  the  eyes  looking?    Into  the  lens?  Above  the  lens?    How  do  the  eyes  change  the  meaning?  How  do  the  shadows  and  light  on  the  man's  face  add  meaning  to  the  photograph?  Is  the  camera  angle  at  eye  level?    Or  is  it  higher  than  the  man's  eyes?    Lower  than  the  man's  eyes?    Do  these  portraits  look  like  you'd  expect  a  man  with  these  careers  to  look?        Alcoholic  

Millionaire  

Psychic  

Life  Saver  

Fisherman  

Ex-­‐convict