POSTMODERNISM

The criteria

The spec says:

Post-modern Media

What are the different versions of post-modernism (historical period, style, theoretical approach)?

What are the arguments for and against understanding some forms of media as post-modern?

How do post-modern media texts challenge traditional text-reader relations and the concept of representation?

In what ways do media audiences and industries operate differently in a post-modern world?

Candidates might explore combinations of:

How post-modern media relate to genre and narrative across two media, computer / video games and new forms of representation, post-modern cinema, interactive media, reality TV, music video, advertising, post-modern audience theories, aspects of globalisation, parody and pastiche in media texts or a range of other applications of post-modern media theory.

‘When’ must we refer to?

Historical: you must show that you understand how relevant aspects of the contemporary media can be compared to the past.

Contemporary: most of your answer will be spent demonstrating an up-to-date, accurate and theoretical knowledge of today’s media

Future: to gain the higher marks you will need to have some idea about where The Media is going next

Media forms we’ll study

MTV – Its history and how it was crucial to today’s popular culture; its past icons; the icons we have today and where we suspect it might be going

TV – British Reality TV: where has it come from; what is common today and what might be the future (looking at likes of Japan & Russia)

– Surrealist TV e.g. The Mighty Boosch

Media forms we’ll study

Film – Pulp Fiction, A Serious Man & Kick Ass

How genres, characterisation and audiences are challenged and gratified

Games – Call of Duty , Sims, Project Natal

How gaming is considered, by many, the real future of Postmodernity

Terminology & preparation

This ‘ism’ is terminology heavy It will take time for you to get your heads around

it!

You will be given a glossary – it is an absolute requirement that you bring this to each lesson – no excuses.

You will be doing a lot of essays – last years yr13 stormed this part of the exam because they were prepared so we will apply the same pressure on you!

Format for coming weeks

Week 1

1 x lesson

1 x essay homework

Week 2

3 x lessons

1 x in class essay

2 x research/notes/revision/summary homeworks

In a nutshell:

A lot of hard work, commitment and

enthusiasm for the wonder of postmodernism!