I highly commend the web page 'Nine top tips for Media students'. From the people behind theory.org.uk, its worth a read!

Monday 7 December 2015

A2 Mock Exam Dec 14th

YOUR QUESTION:
Discuss the media language used in any two or more of these music videos and how this signifies specific audiences being targeted. You can include comment on how successful or otherwise you feel the media language choices are.

ASSESSMENT:
You will be marked on three criteria, requiring you to back up points (EAA) with examples (EX) and use specific media terminology (T).
[EAA] EXPLANATION, ANALYSIS, ARGUMENT:    40/100
[EX] USE OF EXAMPLES:                                   40/100*
[T] USE OF TERMINOLOGY:                               20/100
You cannot take notes into the exam, but have one week to research and prepare your analysis.


You can find the playlist of 20 videos in http://musividz.blogspot.co.uk/2015/06/conventions-links-points-playlist.html You can focus on as few as two of these or as many as you like. You should think in terms of issues or theories (EAA) and prepare clear examples (EX) from these videos that you can use to illustrate your points. Terminology (T) used should include not just semiotics (shot types, angles, editing, sound etc) but also theories and theorists – use your MANGeR pack.

AREAS TO CONSIDER:
Most of the MANGeR concepts can ultimately be linked to Audience. Postmodern elements are always useful to concept. The web 2.0 arguments around ‘the former audience’ are extremely useful for your coursework and exam, including this mock. You can also draw on the conflicting feminist and post-feminist views, which again do partially come back to audience considerations. The elliptical nature (according to some theorists) of video narrative is also linked to audience, while even genre codes are often linked to mise-en-scene choices and possibly representations of audience in video (sub-cultural codes).

It will be useful to you to focus on areas where you see some similarity with your own work.

Tuesday 1 December 2015

Class Xmas LipSynch Vid Production 2015

Your challenge is to plan, shoot and edit a complete green screen video in time to be shared and screened in the final week of term.
After some ... discussion, you chose:


We'll use this for our timings, and for the audio track we'll edit to - make sure you all use this particular upload (there are many more!) to work out timings. It seems to be the most widely viewed version (4.5m views).

To succeed in this task you need to break the production down to steps:

STEP 1: Complete a full timing sheet, including some denotation (description) of instrumental sections. Note the start time of each element. As you're doing a green screen shoot, you don't need to storyboard or work on a call sheet, but you do need to agree on...
You don't need detailed denotation, just lyrics and clear information on any instrumental sections - leave room to note which people you've filmed for each portion (filming more than one at some points gives you the option of experimenting with layering).

STEP 2: ...Decide on key props/costume. You'll have seen in the Britney Spears, Alice Cooper, Lady Gaga and 1D videos that some combination of wig/s, hat, clothes (typically a coat/jacket, but also bandanas, wedding dress ... even an actual snake skin!) are donned (worn) by each performer filmed to clearly denote them as the specific pop star. 
Discuss and agree on which props/costume you will use. Bear in mind that we will probably be limited to shots which crop off feet, unless we source a bigger, very robust green screen. Take loose inspiration from the video/band, but think generally: glam rock (outrageous costume), 70s (stick-on sideburns?! long hair: wig), Xmas (tinsel... but also take inspiration from the lyrics, which mention Santa, reindeer...). 
Don't make it too intricate - you want to be able to swap these between performers quickly.
consider whether you might be able to include a real/fake guitar (so, not just the singer?), maybe even drums?! Doing this gives you options of greater variety, not just always focusing on the singer, plus you can have different people lined up to shoot while costumes are swapped around.





The Slade look ... groovy!


STEP 2.5 Are there simple dance sequences that you can choreograph, or other physical mannerisms of the Slade performers that you could coach performers to mimic? If you want a Top of the Pops feel, could you have 'crowd' scenes - and might KS3 students be ideal for this?
You will need to check in advance on any issues with use of student or staff identity.