David Gauntlett

David Gauntlett:

Gauntlett's identity theory was the idea that media provides us with "tools" and/or resources that we use to construct our identities with. Furthermore, its also the idea that whilst in the past the media has tended to convey singular and straightforward messages about ideal types of male and female identities, the media in the present day offers everyone a more diverse range of stars/icons/characters from whom we  may pick and mix different ideas. 

In many of Gauntlett's talks, he has said that we have to look at media not as channels for communicating messages and not as things but as triggers for experiences and for making things happen.

He has also said that media in the world means a fantastically messy set of networks filled with millions of sparks - some igniting new meanings, ideas and passions.

Theories of identity (associated with representation) from Gauntlett would be ideas around: 

> people having a route to self expression and therefore a stronger sense of self and participation in the world through making/exchanging online.
> media can be places of conversation, exchange and transformation.
> the need for better "platforms for creativity"


Therefore, his theory is still the idea of people building their own sense of self identity but through everyday creative practice.

Sound and Editing

Sound: 

Music - what kind?

Contrapuntal/parallel - against emotions, with emotions

Diegetic/non diegetic - real sound, sound effects/music

Offscreen/onscreen - only noise heard, noise seen happening on camera

Voiceover - talking over video

Emotion - how sound makes you feel

Dialogue - how/what did they say?


Editing:

Screentime - characters, is main shown more?

Transitions - past, future, jump cut

Order of narrative - in order, jumping around?

Pace - fast, slow mo

Special effects - sci-fi, actions, highlights the cool or significant parts

First Edit

This is my first edit that I done during my Media lesson.

Semiotics

Semiotics - the study of signs/anything which stands for something else
Denotation - what we see when we look at an image
Connotation - what we understand from this image


DI- This television poster shows the main characters all standing together amidst the chaos of downtown New York. Each character is surrounding the star of the show Clary Fray/Fairchild.
S - The series is set in New York as you can see the skyscrapers in the background.
T - The themes shown in the poster are good vs evil due to the fact that the characters (who fight against demons) are surrounded by a dark and gloomy city. However some could argue that love and jealousy is also a theme as in the centre of the poster is the main character Clary, but beside her is her father-like figure Luke and her love interest Jace.
I - There are no props used in this poster however their costumes do add that aspect of mystery and possible danger as they are all wearing black leather.
N - There is no story told in this poster.
C - Each character is standing next to a character that they have a relationship with (whether that be family or not). However, you can clearly see the main character is the strong red head in the centre of the poster as she draws the attention into the middle of the poster.
T - The large red symbol at the topnof the poster draws peoples attentions immediately as the photo has had a darker filter on it to make it look mysterious and dramatic, emphasising the genre of fantasy/sci-fi/action/adventure.

Denotation:
There are eight strong looking characters all surrounding one main female character who is placed in the center of the poster. The background consists of the skyscrapers in New York and a very cloudy/misty sky.

Connotation:
From the poster, we can clearly see how in the middle of the poster there is a red headed femal wearing black leather and being surrounded by harsh looking people. This draws the attention of young women as there aren’t gradually becoming more and more strong female leads on the television. We can also see that death is possibly involved as the large red symbol at the top of he poster shows the red slightly running down past the outlines of the symbol, creating an effect that looks like the dripping of blood. All of the buildings, walls and the stairs all look fairly old and tired however, the characters do not as they look clean and polished. This could mean that they are of he younger generation or it could mean that they are re new to whatever they are doing around the city of New York. The stormy looking weather in the background adds to the effect of possible or imminent danger.

Summer Task 2

Summer Task 2: Media Language

Deutschland 83 Trailer

The historical context of the trailer is that it is about the Cold War where there was a political divide between the East and the West. There was never a large scale fight between the two sides but in at least two occasions the world came close to a fully nuclear World War 3.
From the beginning of the trailer for Deutschland 83, dramatic and quick tempo music is played to add the element of adrenaline. This relates to how soldiers in the war feel adrenaline from their surroundings and so by using this music through the video, it allows the watchers heart rate to go up, making them more excited and waiting in anticipation to watch the rest of the trailer
At the start of the trailer, a split screen is used however some may say that it has an ambiguous meaning. This is because the line in the middle of the screen could represent the divide between the East and the West or it could just be showing the two different sides of war, with the firing of a rocket and the marching of soldiers as a unit. Further on in the video, there is another split screen. On the East side, it shows someone at work with a job today and he is focused as he is looking hard at the controls in front of him. However, on the West side, the main character is standing in front of a market of fruit possibly emphasising how there is a larger amount of things to do as he has moved to a new location.
Another split screen is used to show the two opposing sides of how the main character has to live. This Addams intrigue to the trailer as it presents mystery and so the audience feel anticipation for what he could possibly have to do as a spy and soldier.
The camera quality at the beginning of the split screens seems to be of worse quality than to what we have in the modern day, therefore this adds to the fact that this series is set in a historical time period that has already happened, where the technology was not as advanced.
During the video, there is a scene where gère is a stern looking woman holding a gun at the main character who coincidently is a man. This stereotypically goes against what women were supposed to be like during that historical time period and consequently, this emphasises further mystery to the series.
The very frequent changing of scenes, settings and angles of the camera, entice audiences of all ages as the tv series not only shows a historical theme, but also an action/adventure theme which may appeal to the younger generation.
As the trailer nears the end, the backgrounds music becomes a more dramatic and builds up even more to finish and perfect creating that build up of tension that the audience crave when watching a new tv series trailer.

Genre

Definition of genre - a type or category

How do we identify genre?
DISTINCT is useful (acronym)
Describe In detail
Setting - location, historical time period
Themes - love, guilt, revenge, good vs evil
Icons - significant props such as a weapon or a wallet
Narrative - how a story is told, plot
Characters - boy/girl, background
Textual analysis - style of camera, editing, mise en scene and sound


Genre types:

> Sci-fi
> Horror
> Action
> Adventure
> Comedy
> Romance
> Drama
> Historical
> Documentary

Here are some photographs based on the HORROR and COMEDY genres:

This photograph has been chosen to represent COMEDY. 

By showing Sam hiding behind a tree with pom poms, it adds an element of comedic value to the mundane photograph. 

By using the setting of a school, it makes the comedic aspect of the photograph to stand out as there is an abnormality in a normal scene.

By using a theme of laughter to represent comedy, we took a photograph of Sam smiling.

By using red and white pom poms, not only do they stand out from the surroundings, but they add that sense of humour as stereotypically a cheerleader would be a girl.

This photograph has been chosen to represent HORROR.

By using the prop of a large kitchen knife, it creates a feeling of mystery and anticipation as knives are typically associated with horror/thriller genres.

By having the image look slightly misty, it allows the knife to have a slight glint/shimmer on one side of the knife's blade. This allows the knife to stand out a little bit through the window of the car.

Steve Neale - Genre theory

The idea that genres may be dominated by repetition but are also marked by variation, difference and change.

The idea that genre changes, develops, varies and borrows and overlaps with one another.

Hybrid genre - combination of genres (e.g. Scary Movie etc.)

Summer Task 4

Summer Task 4: Media Industries

Big Six

The Big Six are the 6 major film industry companies:
> Warner Bros.
> 20th Century Fox
> Paramount Pictures
> Universal Pictures
> Sony Pictures
> Walt Disney Studios

Soon, these 6 will become 5 due to the fact that Walt Disney Studios is buying 20th Century Fox. Walt Disney Studios is home to 4 major film studios: Walt Disney Animation Studios, Pixar Animation Studios, Marvel Studios and Lucasfilm Ltd.

Warner Bros. owns: HBO, Turner
20th Century Fox owns: (recently been bought by Disney)
Paramount Pictures owns: CMT, Comedy Central, MTV, Logo Tv
Universal Pictures owns: Comcast Cable Communications LCC, NBC Universal Media LCC, Comcast Spectator
Sony Pictures owns: (it’s a sub company of Sony corporation)
Walt Disney Studios owns: ESPN, Lucasfilm LTD, Marvel Entertainment, ABC Television


Major Media Products:

Warner Bros.

 This film production company has recently made a movie called The Nun.


> The Nun had a production budget of $22 million
> The cast includes: Taissa Farmiga, Demian Bichir, Jonas Bloquet and Bonnie Aarons
> The release date was 6th September 2018
> The filming began on 3rd May 2017
> The running time is 96 minutes

20th Century Fox

This film production company has recently made a movie called Love, Simon.


> Love, Simon had a production budget of $10-17 million
> The cast include: Nick Robinson, Keiynan Lonsdale and Katherine Langford 
>  The release date was 6th April 2018
> The running time is 110 minutes

Paramount Pictures

This film production company has recently made a movie called Baywatch.


> Baywatch had a production budget of $69 million
> The cast includes: Zac Efron, Dwayne Johnson and Alexandra Daddario
> The release date was 26th May 2017
> The running time is 116 minutes

Universal Pictures

This film production company has recently made a movie called Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again.

 
> Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again had a production budget of $75 million
> The cast include: Amanda Seyfried, Lily James and Jeremy Irvine
> The release date was 20th July 2018
> The running time is 114 minutes

Sony Pictures

This film production company has recently made a movie called Slender Man.


> Slender Man had a production budget of $10 million
> The cast include: Joey King, Javier Botet and Annalise Basso
> The release date was 24th August 2018
> The running time is 93 minutes

Walt Disney Studios

This film production company has recently made a movie called Christopher Robin.


> Christopher Robin had a production budget of $70-75 million
> The cast include: Ewan McGregor, Hayley Atwell and Brad Garrett
> The release date was 17th August 2018
> The running time is 104 minutes