OCR G234Advanced Production

Sophie McKennaCandidate number:

Aquinas College: 33435

Q1: How did you USE, DEVELOP, CHALLENGE codes and conventions of

real media products?

Misé en Scene:-The location and setting reflect the type of characters

and what social background the come from.-The costumes identify the personality/moods of the

actors.

Example: Kat from Eastenders is represented as a loud, flirtatious. Here is evident by costume

Editing:- Lighting emphasises/sets the mood of the scene

- Range of colour when reflecting the mood - Cuts in shots/scenes to build tension/make it

appear more dramatic

Costume:- Costume of characters illustrate social class.

- Realism soaps feature ‘everyday clothes’ that a middle wealth class would be expected to wear

Example: Characters from Coronation Street in the Rovers Return –Realism soap = Everyday clothes

Camera Shots:- Establishing shots – emphasise the location and create an

atmosphere/mood for the programme- Close ups – illustrate the characters facial expressions

- Long/Wide shots: show what the character is wearing/body language used by an individual

Example: Keeping Up With The Kardashian’s uses constant high key lighting highlighting their wealth and luxuries

Example: TOWIE – Wide shot focusing on Kirk and Mick’s body language and actions

Soap Conventions

Codes and Conventions: Logos

• The Eastenders logo is a very high establishing shot of London, where it’s locational region is.

• The river Thames features in this making it recognisable • BBC logo clearly implies that’s what channel the soap is aired on.

• Both gender signs, illustrating the audience and the cast members are of equally balanced gender

• Gives the impression the programme focuses on relationships of both male and female

• However the colours have a clear divide showing conflict between the genders

• MIC logo is a royal blue colour, instantly associating the programme with wealth

• Simple and not a lot going on – implies cast members were born into wealth and didn’t have to work for it

• The crown above is associated with the Royal’s again implying wealth

Codes and Conventions: Front Covers

USE, DEVELOP, CHALLENGEUSED: One main image, quote from the star, features all together: ‘Classy look’ magazine. Similar style masthead and quote from one of the stars on the cover

DEVELOPED: Colour on ancillary for background, smaller title to fit two stars on cover, one star looking at the camera whereas in Fabulous magazine the star is

looking away

CHALLENGED: Two main stars, challenges convention of ‘Fabulous’ magazine as there is always only one star filling the front cover. By doing this the storyline is put

across more clearly. It also engages the audience by having one star looking at them and one looking away – implying a narrative

Fabulous Magazine front cover My ancillary ‘Scandalous’ front cover

Codes and Conventions: Billboards

USE, DEVELOP, CHALLENGEUSED: Billboard consisting of all characters from the programme. All stars looking directly at the camera. Costume that would be used in the show – MIC: Glamorous, implying wealth, Northern Rock: Everyday clothes, implying normality/middle class

DEVELOPED: Narrative involved. My billboard implies the love triangle between Grace, Kieran and Laura as well as some sort of relationship between Me and Cason.

CHALLENGED: Red background connoting love/relationships/warning/danger. E4 logo placed in the corner so audience is drawn to the show by brand awareness/identity

Codes and Conventions: Props

Binky and Caggie with big handbags (MIC)

Ricky and Jess in bar (TOWIE)

Cason’s car

Ollie’s car (MIC)

My handbag Coffee mug

USE, DEVELOP, CHALLENGEUSED: Car’s, big handbags and coffee mugs to create an atmosphere and generic

conventions for out trailer and it’s sub-genre scripted realityDEVELOPED: Fit the props more to our trailers characters lives – everyday

life/middleclassCHALLENGED: Props are less ‘glamorous’ and not as exaggerated as other scripted

reality shows, for example the picture of Ricky and Jess is in a bar whereas we tried to make it look like Kieran and Cason were in a café

Codes and Conventions: Costumes

USE, DEVELOP, CHALLENGEUSED: Casual clothing, neutral make-up, hair down and messy – not a lot of effort has

to go in to look presentable.

DEVELOPED: Laura is wearing a denim shirt instead of a baggy knitted jumper, shirts are more conventional and you would expect a younger target market to own one so

again will be able to relate to the trailer by costume

CHALLENGED: Laura is walking towards and past the camera in our trailer so there is a long shot to show exactly what she’s wearing, whereas the shot from MIC is focusing

on Binky’s dialogue and not her costume.

Laura from our trailer Northern Rock Binky from Made In Chelsea

Codes and Conventions: Locations

USE, DEVELOP, CHALLENGEUSED: Piccadilly train station, well-known so is representing Manchester. MIC use

Heathrow airport (pictured left above) which is a very established airport in London

DEVELOPED: Locations are developed to fit our trailer. Not as ‘glam’ as MIC because the characters in our trailer don’t share the same wealth as MIC actors

CHALLENGED: Some locations used challenge the codes and conventions to fit our genre and audience more. For example being in a café rather than a bar

Caggie and Millie at Heathrow airport Me and Laura at Piccadilly Station