Monday 12 December 2016

2.7 Homework & Prep for Christmas Break

1. Self Assess Q1a portfolio of micro essays

I have emailed you the self assessment sheets. Use the feedback and grading from the one essay I have marked on Q1a skills, the feedback will be under the comments section of one of the recent essays.

Make sure you complete the whole document including the 3 targets on the bottom of the second section – this is the most important bit!

2. Revision Mock exam

When you return after xmas break you will have a 1 hour mock exam on both Q1a and Q1b together. Be prepared and start to revise now.

YOU WILL BE ASSESSED ON YOUR 3 TARGETS YOU HAVE SET YOURSELF FROM THE FEEDBACK

Revision Techniques - pick on of the following and post the evidence on your blog
  1. Rewrite the essay under timed conditions (without looking at the original) 
  2. Use the Terminology wheels under the lesson posts on the blog from this year to TEST yourself
  3. Draw images/emojis to reduce down the POINTS your want to make in your essays – ie Phallic Objects, Aesthetics, Rules, No Resolution in a Trailer etc
3. Evaluation Q1 Prep

Read over the resources in the link below and look at the exemplars. Plot out the 12 conventions you will be addressing (take 3 each or 4 if you are in a group of 3) and which conventions the individual student will be presenting/responsible for. 


4. Regulation Exam Prep

Read over the resources below and write a 300 word blog summary of your own response/opinion on what regulation is, who regulates video games, the press, film and TV and why it should or shouldn't exist. Ber prepared to delicer this as a 30 second statement in class on video

Thursday 8 December 2016

2.6 Prep Work: The power & purpose of the Media



1. What is the purpose of the media?

2. How is this an example of Hyper-Reality?

3. What is the dominant ideology behind aspiration and fame?

4. Who benefits from this system?

5. What is your opinion - how do you fix this/cant it be fixed? How do you survive within it?

2.6 30 -45 seconds editing

Starter: Draw out Timeline map


Objective: Edit up to 45 seconds of your Horror trailer using the structural conventions of Teaser Trailers 

Terminology: 

Fades 
Cuts to black
Non-diegetic sound
Structure
Narrative/Story
Montage
Tone
Genre
Jump scare
Preliminary shock
Title slate
Strobe



D - understand conventions of trailers in terms of sections, titles, sound and transitions

C - apply structural conventions to refine footage in trailers to refine 15 - 30 seconds

B - analyse structure and editing techniques for purpose and Tone

A-  create the 30 - 45 seconds story section demonstrating excellent control over the edit


Thursday 1 December 2016

2.5 Maths Week

http://banyak.co.uk/edit-suite-hire/

Q1. How much would the total cost be for your production?

Q2. How much would your film need to return online in order to be successful according to the Film Flop Formula?

Q3. How many views will your Trailer need to recoup the budget?

"Roughly, a video creator will earn $2,000 for every million views. "And then YouTube takes 45 percent," the Times notes" 

Glidecam 4000 Pro – Steady Cam
steady cam rig for small cameras
Daily: £50 Weekly: £200

A lightweight handheld camcorder stabilizing system designed for cameras weighing from 4 to 10 pounds. 

FCP Edit Suite Hire
edit suite hire london cheap
Daily: £175 Weekly: £700

Final Cut Pro Edit Suite Hire – Hackney, London
We run Final Cut Pro edit suites with grade 1 broadcast monitors and tech support in stunning purpose built edit suites. Our edit suites open on to a huge 1000sq feet meeting area with kitchen, sofas, tables and balcony.

Lowel Rifa eX44 Light & Soft Box
Lowel_Rifa_Lite hire
Daily: £25 Weekly: £100

Rifa eX 44 is the smallest in the Lowel Rifa family. Its 16″ diffusion screen and 21″ collapsed length make it ideal for compact kit run & gun lighting. The soft-box is ideal for lighting interviews or small area tabletop shoots.

Nikon Lenses
Nikon Lenses
Daily: £80 Weekly: £320

17-35mm Zoom f2.8
75-300mm Zoom f4.5
28mm f2.8
50mm f1.4
80mm f1.8
105mm f2.5

Sony A7
SONYA7
Daily: £50 Weekly: £200

Full-frame, palm-sized α7: portability and capability in one. With a 24.3 MP 35 mm Full Frame sensor into a body half the weight of leading DSLRs, this is an exciting new landmark in the market.

Manfrotto Tripod
manfrotto tripod
Daily: £25 Weekly: £100



Monday 28 November 2016

2.5 Q1a Exam 5: Post Production

Starter: What do we mean by Post Production?



KEY POINT 1: Production Software & hardware = aesthestics, visually appealing and perfection HYPER REALITY

KEY POINT 2: Access to DMT on phones and websites, grown in a culture of making media (Instagram etc) - EXPERIMENTATION




Objective: To consider the development of your skills in using Post Production across the 2 years and the effect or impact this has had on your creativity/cultural expectations


C: To analyse your development of skills in using Post Production across the 2 years


B: To explain the impact of these skills on the creative success of your practical work


A: To evaluate and justify the extent that your use of Post Production have influenced or effected the development of your creativity



Introduction  - Thesis Statement 
1.What do we mean by Post Production and how did it compare from AS to A2?
2.What is the relationship between Creativity and Post Production?
3.Apply the following words to how your Production work has developed over 2 years: 
(i)   Experimentation, 
(ii)  Hyper-reality, 
(iii) Aesthetics

Paragraph 1: 
Point - AS Preliminary - the impact your use of post production (Photoshop) had

Example - what skills you actually used/what you did (ie layers, filters, cutting out)

Analysis - the impact of these skills on the creative success of your practical work:
(i)   Experimentation, 
(ii)  Hyper-reality
(iii) Aesthetics

Paragraph 2: 
Point - AS Magazine - HOW your skills developed from Preliminary in your use of Photoshop

Example - what skills you actually used/what you did (ie layers, filters, cutting out)

Analysis - the impact of these skills on the creative success of your practical work:
(i)   Experimentation, 
(ii)  Hyper-reality
(iii) Aesthetics

Paragraph 3: 
Point A2 Trailer - HOW your skills developed from AS Magazine & the impact your use of Editing (colour grading, cutting and sequencing, using effects) had in 
(i)   Experimentation, 
(ii)  Hyper-reality
(iii) Aesthetics

Example - what skills you actually used/what you did (ie cuts, effects, transitions, sequencing clips)

Analysis - the impact of these skills on the creative success of your practical work (Pros and Cons)
(i)   Experimentation, 
(ii)  Hyper-reality
(iii) Aesthetics

Conclusion - how your understanding of Post Production skills has developed over 2 years - Pros and Cons
Style and Aesthetics over Meaning and Understanding?

2.4 Homework and Prep

Homework 1: Write up the Digital Technology essay using plan below

Essay Plan

Introduction  - Thesis Statement 
1.What do we mean by Digital Media Technology?
2.What is the relationship between Creativity and Digital Media Technology?
3.Apply 3 of the following words to how your Production work has developed over 2 years: 
(i)   Experimentation, 
(ii)  Hyper-reality, 
(iii) Access to Social Networks
(vi) Creation of Media 

Paragraph 1: 
Point - AS Preliminary - the impact your use of digital technology had ineither 
i. Research (Influences)
ii. Production (shooting) 
iii. Post-Production (editing - experimentation)


Example - what skills you actually used/what you did (ie layers, filters, cutting out)

Analysis - the impact of these skills on the creative success of your practical work:
(i)   Experimentation, 
(ii)  Hyper-reality, 
(iii) Access to Social Networks
(vi) Creation of Media 

Paragraph 2: 
Point - AS Magazine - HOW your skills developed from Preliminary & the impact your use of digital technology had in either 
i. Research (Influences)
ii. Production (shooting) 
iii. Post-Production (editing - experimentation)


Example - what skills you actually used/what you did (ie layers, filters, cutting out)

Analysis - the impact of these skills on the creative success of your practical work:
(i)   Experimentation, 
(ii)  Hyper-reality, 
(iii) Access to Social Networks
(vi) Creation of Media 

Paragraph 3: 
Point - A2 Trailer - HOW your skills developed from AS Magazine & the impact your use of digital technology had in either 
i. Research (Influences)
ii. Production (shooting) 
iii. Post-Production (editing - experimentation)


Example - what skills you actually used/what you did (ie cuts, effects, transitions, sequecning clips)

Analysis - the impact of these skills on the creative success of your practical work (Pros and Cons)
(i)   Experimentation, 
(ii)  Hyper-reality, 
(iii) Access to Social Networks
(vi) Creation of Media  

Conclusion - how your u

Homework 2: Carry out 2-3 hours of shooting to produce your trailer. Ensure you have costumes and props and have refined your shooting plan (sequence of shots to film on the day) if you are at The Old Police Station on Tuesday

Prep 1: Read over the resources and answer these questions

1. What do you we mean by Post Production?


Question 1a Post Production from Mr Smith

Prep 2: Read over the 3 extracts & identify key points for Post Production

Extract from Candidate Script 1 
In AS and A2 I developed a whole range of new skills. In AS I completed a magazine cover, contents page and double page spread. My skills developed in A2 as I created a digital video on a trailer. In AS I had to create a magazine on photoshop, I had to ensure I used to the correct digital technology as well as putting my creativity skills to the rest. As my magazine was based on dance and house music I had to ensure I was challenging existing products. In 1997 Bentley had quoted “the making of the new and rearranging of the old”. My magazine relates to this as we had to ensure we used all the correct conventions needed. These included pen tool, blemish effect, shadow tool etc. By using my creativity I had to make sure all the micro-elements were perfect. As I developed my skills in photoshop I was able to use a shadow tool to create the lights in the background look like strobe lights. This was developed through my skills as I made them all over my magazine so people knew the genre. In A2 I created a digital video trailer on a young girl who gets kidnapped. My growth is digital technology changed as the tasks changed. In 2002 Mark Towse had quoted that digital video is the most important advancement since TV. I agree with this quote as a lot of production had to go into my creativity. I had to develop and show progress whilst working on my trailer as it was something new. To make sure it looked like a thriller I used different conventions these were transitions, music, effects, split clip etc. For my music I used a digital technology program ‘garage band’. This allowed me to create music and sound effects to follow up on my trailer. By using web blogs in both years this was so we could communicate with our audiences. David Gaunlett quotes about communication this is web 2.0. I used this in both years so my audiences and peers could leave me feedback. From this I was able to use growth in my creativity. As it enabled me on what I need to improve on also what I could do next. From this essay you will clearly be able to state that I had a lot of creativity whilst using different hardwares, and I was able to create something proffessional.

Marks awarded and rationale: 11/25 
The answer offers a basic list of examples of the use of technology with lack of detail about creative outcomes. There is little account of progression from AS to A2. The attempts to utilise academic and industry perspectives are expressed hastily and with limited coherence.


Extract from Candidate Script 2 
For my AS coursework we were given the task of designing a music magazine which introduced me to a number of digital technologies which we used creatively. We decided to create a music magazine within the pop genre, thus we tried to make it appeal to a target audience of young teenagers, as this is the group the pop genre aims to appeal to. For our A2 coursework we used digital technologies to a more advanced level as we had to create a music video, again in the pop genre. We tried to make it appeal to the same target audience by following various codes and conventions, such as using quick cuts to create a fast pace. For our AS coursework we were introduced to ‘Photoshop’ in order to edit images for our pop music magazine. I was introduced to simple tools, such as the ‘spot healer’ tool in order to edit a close-up of my main front cover artist and give the image a conventional, airbrushed look so our target audience would be able to easily identify the magazine. In A2 I had the opportunity to use ‘Photoshop’ to a more advanced level as I had to create an anallary digi-face alongside a music video. Here, I used tools to a more professional level. For example, for the rear album cover I took individual images of monetary notes and cropped them out using the ‘Magic wand’ tool on ‘Photoshop’. Here, I superimposed the money images onto the mid long-shot of my main artist in order to create the illusion of money falling. This is conventional as it is iconography from our music video, thus audiences would be able to identify it easily. I was also introduced to the video editing software, ‘IMovie’ during our AS research and planning. We filmed interviews for our audience research and uploaded them to ‘IMovie’ in order to edit the clips. Here, we learnt basic functions, such as ‘trimming’ to make clips shorter in length. For A2, ‘IMovie’ became more prominent as we used it to an advanced level in order to edit our pop music video. We used the ‘trim’ tool to edit clips to as short a length as possible as it is conventional for pop videos to be fast-paced through quick-cuts. We also used various filters to create escapism for our audience eg We edited outside shots with a high saturation filter in order to create a bright and colourful atmosphere. This is a further convention of the pop genre, thus appeals to our target audience. We had to create good lightning to a basic effect for our AS music magazine. When taking medium close-up image of an artist for my contents page, I used a white sheet in the background to create bright lighting and a conventional studio feel. For our A2 music video lighting was even more of a problem as we had to shoot flashback sequences in the dark, with colourful disco lighting to create a party atmosphere. We conducted a lighting test and decided to use the video camera’s light in order to see the artist more broadly. This created a good effect and the flashing disco lights created a party atmosphere, which is a further pop convention. We also used editing tools to an advanced level for our A2 music video, which we were unable to do in AS as we created a still image product. For our music video we sped up clips on ‘IMovie’ to create under-cranking in certain areas. This made the video move at an even faster pace and also conveyed a sense of panic, which we aimed to create. In contrast, we used over-cranking in party sequences, such as when money is thrown in order to highlight how it is lost. This makes the video more recognisable to audience as it matches the visuals with the song title of ‘When The Money’s Gone’. In conclusion, we were able to use new digital technologies to a more professional standard in A2, as we were able to progress and work upon skills that were taught to us in AS. We were able to use the technologies creatively, to create a conventional product, which our target audience would accept and recognise.

Marks awarded and rationale: 18/25 
A detailed account of relevant examples of the use of technology is provided, with a sense of progression over time. In places, creative outcomes are described, whereas in others the value of technological application is taken for granted. This prevents it accessing level 4.

Extract from Candidate Script 3 
My AS media production group produced an opening sequence to a supernatural horror/thriller hybrid entitled ‘Through The Window’. It focused on 3 male protagonists who go to a dentist house to see if its worthly for a potential location they where they want to create their horror video. However little to their knowledge 2 possessed Victorian girls will haunt anyone who dares enter their domain. Whereas our A2 media production focused on a music video for the artist ‘Childish Gambino’ and his song ‘heartbeat’ in this case we wanted to be more creative and therefore came up with a distinct storyline of a couples relationship breakdown after a crazy party in a manor house. In both years digital technology was a key process in learning new skills and developing our creativity. During the preliminary stage at the start of the course the groups knowledge of post-production and editing software was at the very best rudimentary as our only requirement was to edit the footage using final cut pro X, a software I was unfamiliar with, therefore I paid no attention to transitions and pace and music selection and simply focused on the required shots. For example match cuts, that reverse that and following the 180° rule. During year 12 our software skills had improved and upon having looked at other thrillers and researching the real conventions of a film we were able to establish what would look best in an edit. For example from looking at the film ‘The Woman In Black’ we focused on cross-cuts between the leading protagonist Daniel Radcliffe and the woman as she becomes closer to him. By focusing on how these shots were actually cut we were able to see how they were so, so they were subservient to the flow of the narrative, ‘thus enabling them to closely follow the narrative and storyline. When it came round to producing our music video in year 13 (Y13) we had already gained a standardised knowledge in editing skills, thus enabling us to work quicker and more efficiently. However working with a new medium, music video’s meant that the continuity rules learned in the first year were broken as most music video’s followed the rules of disjuncture therefore enabling us to be more creative in terms of shot types. For example likewise to Example’s music video ‘natural disaster’, we too were able to use cuts and transitions between two parallel stories. For example, we focused on one at a manor house, whereby a party scene was used which focused on the relationships aspect of the video. And then we also had another location, the airfield hanger whereby our artist was shown singing. This therefore enabled us to engage our audience as the artist was shown in 2 different narrative styles therefore keeping it interesting for the audience. Another crucial aspect was the digital camera during our prelim we used a basic video camera however during year 12 and 13 we used a more technologically advanced camera the Canon EOS 600b. In terms of year 12, the thriller genre meant that we had to closely follow cinematic techniques and shots in order for intended audience to suspend their disbelief, otherwise if our shots strayed too far they may have became dissatisfied and bored, therefore we followed the genre’s expectations. Whereas at A2 music video’s followed the rules of disjuncture meaning that more creative shot types were accepted by the audience due to the music video style. Therefore we used a low angle shot where our artist visually dominated the screen therefore portraying him in a big and powerful way which was our intention. This also meant we could use a range of creative mid closeup’s of our artist which worked seemingly well. This lead to my existing media skills to be involved outside of the course as I embarked on the opportunity to work at the BFI talent campus in 2013, during this time my role consisted of being the cinematographer in which I worked with the arri alexa camera, therefore I was able to put my existing media skills into practice by working on a professional and real film set where I was able to come up with creative shots and depict which lense to use for the style, mood, and type of shots. Another crucial aspect of digital technology, was the use of the internet, having developed our the 2 years standardised research skills this meant we could use the internet wisely and to our advantage which were thereby reflected in our 2 successful pieces of media. Whereas at the prelim stage our internet knowledge was very undeveloped. So having these skills we were able to use different programmes and softwares to add our creative ability. For example in year 12 we used Photoshop to come up with poster ideas whereas during year 12 we moved onto a more technologically advanced software called Gimp, whereby we created our ancillary tasks/a digipack and a magazine advert. This showed our skills had developed over the 2 years. In addition we made a creative decision to create a ‘housestyle’ for our audience this consisted of colours to represent the artist as a brand and an iconic image, thereby in the mise en scene costume we had the artist in 3 distinct colours blue, white and black and also our editing colour grading consisted of an electric blue tint. In addition we were able to find new up to date software to show our digital skills in terms of our project thereby we used a programme called pre2 to show presentations. We also came across a t-shirt website on the internet whereby we created promotional merchandise for our artist consisting of representative colours which were previously stated. This was likewise to other artists such as Ed Sheeran and orange and Justin Bieber with purple. As previously stated our final cut pro skills were developed during A2 this meant that we could up with more creative ideas in terms of editing thereby in our video shots of 3 iphones are used whereby we see shots of both footage from the hanger and manor house, so by putting a green screen on each iphone we were able to chroma key each image so that footage would be visible on top of the screens therefore creating a new and creative take on the use of phones in a music video, something that had not previously been done. Therefore I believe digital technology was very helpful in producing to effective pieces of media over the 2 years. As my skills further improved and my creative decisions enabled the group to create 2 professional and successful looking media texts which were well regarded by their audiences.

Marks awarded and rationale: 25/25 
Throughout the answer the focus is on the difference the use of technology made to creative outcomes, with detailed, reflective discussion and a clear sense of progression over time, from the use of green screen to more effective cross-cutting. The balance of examples, reflection, progression and address of the question justifies a top mark. 

Thursday 24 November 2016

2.4 Digital Technology Lessons notes for POINT in essay

http://ctkmediaa2horror.blogspot.co.uk/2015/11/wk-12-digital-technology.html

Cons of Digitakl Media technology on Creativity

1. Access more Media = influences & intertextuality, knowledge of conventions
2. Production Software & hardware = quality & aesthestics, visually appealing and perfection, EXPERIMENTATION
3. Access to an audience and their feedback, PRODUCT for consumption and review, possibly revenue from advertising 
4.Access to DMT on phones and websites, grown in a culture of making media (Instagram etc) - what types of media are being made?


2.4 Digital Media Technology

Objective: To consider the development of your skills in using digital technology across the 2 years and the effect or impact this has had on your creativity/cultural expectations


C: To analyse your development of skills in using digital media technology  across the 2 years


B: To explain the impact of these skills on the creative success of your practical work


A: To evaluate and justify the extent that your use of digital media technology have influenced or effected the development of your creativity



Some questions to consider:
What do we mean by digital media?
How have we used digital media?
Experimentation, Hyper-reality, access to Social Networks


Essay Plan

Introduction  - Thesis Statement 
1.What do we mean by Digital Media Technology?
2.What is the relationship between Creativity and Digital Media Technology?
3.Apply 3 of the following words to how your Production work has developed over 2 years: 
(i)   Experimentation, 
(ii)  Hyper-reality, 
(iii) Access to Social Networks
(vi) Creation of Media 

Paragraph 1: 
Point - AS Preliminary - the impact your use of digital technology had in either 
i. Research (Influences)
ii. Production (shooting) 
iii. Post-Production (editing - experimentation)

Example - what skills you actually used/what you did (ie layers, filters, cutting out)

Analysis - the impact of these skills on the creative success of your practical work:
(i)   Experimentation, 
(ii)  Hyper-reality, 
(iii) Access to Social Networks
(vi) Creation of Media 

Paragraph 2: 
Point - AS Magazine - HOW your skills developed from Preliminary & the impact your use of digital technology had in either 
i. Research (Influences)
ii. Production (shooting) 
iii. Post-Production (editing - experimentation)

Example - what skills you actually used/what you did (ie layers, filters, cutting out)

Analysis - the impact of these skills on the creative success of your practical work:
(i)   Experimentation, 
(ii)  Hyper-reality, 
(iii) Access to Social Networks
(vi) Creation of Media 

Paragraph 3: 
Point A2 Trailer - HOW your skills developed from AS Magazine & the impact your use of digital technology had in either 
i. Research (Influences)
ii. Production (shooting) 
iii. Post-Production (editing - experimentation)

Example - what skills you actually used/what you did (ie cuts, effects, transitions, sequecning clips)

Analysis - the impact of these skills on the creative success of your practical work (Pros and Cons)
(i)   Experimentation, 
(ii)  Hyper-reality, 
(iii) Access to Social Networks
(vi) Creation of Media  

Conclusion - how your understanding of digital technology skills has developed over 2 years - Pros and Cons

Wednesday 16 November 2016

2.3 Homework and Prep

Prep: Watch the following posts and the exemplar essay




Some questions to consider:
1.What do we mean by Digital Media Technology?
2.What is the relationship between Creativity and Digital 3.Media Technology?
4.Apply the following words to examples from your Production work: 
(i)   Experimentation, 
(ii)  Hyper-reality, 
(iii) Access to Social Networks
(vi) Creation of Media 

5.Select Examples from the Table below and fill in the grid that relate to the above concepts

i. Technology used during Research & Planning

ii. Technology used during Production (shooting) 
iii. Technology used during Post-Production (editing)





Homework: 
1. Shoot your Horror Trailer and complete your Photoshoot for your magazines and posters  

2. Write a 30 minute timed essay 

"Explain how significant were the Conventions of Real Media Texts in your development of creativity across your 2 years of production work."

Introduction
(i) Conventions as 'rules' have purpose - they can be followed or broken - why/reasons?

(ii) Audience expectations of repeated conventions - how successful in meeting them or being original?

(iii) Semiotics - conventions have meaning denotation & connotation - did you understand this

Paragraph 1 (AS Preliminary Task) & 2 (AS Music Magazine)
"In AS, my brief was…..to complete this successfully I had to identify conventions in magazine relating to :
Choose 2 examples from: 
  • Layout and structure (Positioning of Masthead, Pace of edits, use of titles etc)
  • Use of images & text (pose, costume, props,lighting)
  • Semiotics (especially in relation to colour)
  • Genre (Rock, Hip Hop, Horror)
  • Representation (sub-culture of music, what the monster symbolises)
(discuss these points adding relevant detail and using as much terminology as possible)
REFER TO EXISTING EXAMPLES YOU LOOKED AT AND HOW THEY USE THESE CONVENTIONS (For instance, "looking at Kerrang! Magazine a rock music magazine, their house style uses a black and red colour scheme and a cut out punk style font, which gives connotations of the music genre.")
"I used these conventions in the following ways...in order to..." (Give details about how your design followed conventions. Explain if your work departed from conventions in some way. Try to discuss why following conventions is important in terms of the text’s relationship with the audience.)

Paragraph 3 (A2 Summer Horror Trailer) & 4 (A2 Final Horror Trailer):
"In my Year 13 film promotion exercise, I made a trailer and to do this identified a number of key conventions….of Trailers...of the Horror genre..."(explain what they were). 

Discuss to what extent you conformed to, used, developed or challenged these conventions in your work. Use lots of detail and refer to existing examples that influenced you to compare to your production (but remember to keep the focus on what you have made).
Choose 2 examples from:
  • Shot duration
  • Number of cuts
  • Narrative Structure (no resolution) 
  • Use of Title Slates 
  • Pace of the cuts and use of transitions (fades etc)
  • Horror Mise-en-scene (blood, low key lighting, haunted houses or isolated locations, costume, make up etc)
  • Stock scenes (dragged into darkness) 
  • Sound
  • Representation of characters 
Conclusion
How you have developed as a Creative producer in you understanding and skills in using or breaking conventions of RMT.

(i) Conventions as 'rules' have purpose - they can be followed or broken - why/reasons?

(ii) Audience expectations of repeated conventions - how successful in meeting them or being original?

(iii) Semiotics - conventions have meaning denotation & connotation - did you understand this
Conclusion

Tuesday 15 November 2016

2.3 Q1a Exam CONVENTIONS of REAL MEDIA TEXTS



Objective: To discuss the relation between USING CONVENTIONS FROM REAL MEDIA TEXTS and CREATIVITY



Outcomes:


C: To analyse your development of skills in using 


conventions of real media texts across the 2 years


B: To explain the impact of these skills on the creative 


success of your practical work


A: To evaluate and justify the extent that your awareness 


of conventions have influenced or effected the 


development of your creativity



  1. How much was your own production influenced by existing texts?
  2. Why follow conventions? Think about the relationship with audiences here.
  3. Which conventions did you follow?
  4. To what extent did you not follow existing conventions? 
  5. What was the impact on creativity and delivering a product for an audience?
  6. Was this intentional and what were you hoping to achieve/was the result by breaking some of the conventions?
  7. To what extent did following conventions limit your own creativity?
Essay Plan

"Explain how significant were the Conventions of Real Media Texts in your development of creativity across your 2 years of production work."

Introduction
(i) Conventions as 'rules' have purpose - they can be followed or broken - why/reasons?

(ii) Audience expectations of repeated conventions - how successful in meeting them or being original?

(iii) Semiotics - conventions have meaning denotation & connotation - did you understand this

Paragraph 1
"In AS, my brief was…..to complete this successfully I had to identify conventions in magazine relating to :


  • Layout and structure (Positioning of Masthead, Pace of edits, use of titles etc)
  • Use of images & text (pose, costume, props,lighting)
  • Semiotics (especially in relation to colour)
  • Genre (Rock, Hip Hop, Horror)
  • Representation (sub-culture of music, what the monster symbolises)
(discuss these points adding relevant detail and using as much terminology as possible)
REFER TO EXISTING EXAMPLES YOU LOOKED AT AND HOW THEY USE THESE CONVENTIONS (For instance, "looking at Kerrang! Magazine a rock music magazine, their house style uses a black and red colour scheme and a cut out punk style font, which gives connotations of the music genre.")
"I used these conventions in the following ways...in order to..." (Give details about how your design followed conventions. Explain if your work departed from conventions in some way. Try to discuss why following conventions is important in terms of the text’s relationship with the audience.)

Paragraph 2:
"In my Year 13 film promotion exercise, I made a trailer and to do this identified a number of key conventions….of Trailers...of the Horror genre..."(explain what they were). 

Discuss to what extent you conformed to, used, developed or challenged these conventions in your work. Use lots of detail and refer to existing examples that influenced you to compare to your production (but remember to keep the focus on what you have made).
Think about:


  • Shot duration
  • Number of cuts
  • Narrative Structure (no resolution) 
  • Use of Title Slates 
  • Pace of the cuts and use of transitions (fades etc)
  • Horror Mise-en-scene (blood, low key lighting, haunted houses or isolated locations, costume, make up etc)
  • Stock scenes (dragged into darkness) 
  • Sound
  • Representation of characters 
Paragraph 3:
How you have developed as a Creative producer in you understanding and skills in using or breaking conventions of RMT.

(i) Conventions as 'rules' have purpose - they can be followed or broken - why/reasons?

(ii) Audience expectations of repeated conventions - how successful in meeting them or being original?


(iii) Semiotics - conventions have meaning denotation & connotation - did you understand this


Plenary:
How has this development in your understanding of RMT affected your creativity as a Post-Modern Producer (breaking rules/boundaries to creativity, understanding of conventions and hybridity)