William Hales A Level Media Blog

1. What AGE RANGE is the Water Aid ad aimed at? Why? The advert is aimed are 18 and over, because they are unable to donate unless they are over 18, the age range is appealed to a high amount of people, because they want donations from anyone of any age. 2. Which ATTITUDE/BELIEF group do you think is being targeted? Why? Societally Conscious Achievers would be the main attitude that this advert is focused at, because of their desire for inner peace and making the world a better place, also due to their finances being less important to them, they are likely to donate, and help make a difference to others. The imagery of the environment at the beginning of the advert would also appeal to these types of viewers, which enforces this. The advert would not be focused at Belongers however, because they would feel more inclined to help their own communities, before another countries first. 3.Which of MASLOW's hierarchy do you think the producers were targeting? How did they target it? The ...

180 degree rule The 180° rule is a cinematography guideline that states that two characters in a scene should maintain the same left/right relationship to one another . When the camera passes over the invisible axis connecting the two subjects, it is called crossing the line and the shot becomes what is called a reverse angle. Rule of Thirds The rule of thirds is the positioning of the focus of the camera shot, the main focus is best kept on away from the center, as is is more pleasing on the eyes for the audience, and the overall quality of the filming will be better. Continuity editing Continuity editing is making sure that over multiple shots it flows and there are no changes; for example if there are two shots of the same scene, and then the main actors hairstyle changes on the shot transition, this would be a continuity error. With editing you can sometimes find a point at which the footage can still connect, and avoid showing the continuity error. Diegetic sound Sound whos...

1. How can we use Stuart Hall's polysemy to make sense of the audience responses to this product? Stuart Hall's theory of polysemy can be used to distinguish the different meanings of the advert, and the interpretation that can be took on it, for example the clear response to the advert is that women want Tide to become the perfect housewife. 2. Can I suggest a preferred reading of this text? The preferred reading of the text is that you women will buy the product, because they want the cleanest whites, and want to strive towards becoming the prefect house wife, and aspire to be similar  to the women on the front. 3. Can I suggest an oppositional  reading? One of the oppositional readings could be if you instead purchased another companies products, therefor you would be opposed to buying this one as you are loyal to another brand, some women may also oppose this as they dislike the stereotype shown on the front, and may move against this stereotype by not purchasing i...

1)What is denotation & connotation? Denotation is the literal definition Connotation is the cultural definition 2)What are the technical codes associated with print media? Layout and Design - The way in which the document is physically presented, including font, colour and image choice as well as text positioning. Very often this will contribute to a house style, a repeatable, marketable set of criteria that help to identify the product and retain an audience. Camera shots - As in moving image texts camera shots contribute to the intended meaning of a text. A close-up of a celebrity in a magazine may indicate the focus of the contents and the intended audience for the product. Lighting- The way an image is lit contributes to the 'feel' and therefore possible genre interpretations of a text. Use of Colour - Colours are instant meaning generators in many contexts and can immediately indicate mood, genre, intended audience and purpose. See perfume/ luxury goods adve...

1)What is the media language associated with shot distance & camera movement? The use of shot distance and camera movement can greatly impact the message that is given to the audience about a scene, and helps the audience understand and create dramatic effect. for example on a close up shot you are able to focus attention to that character and the emotions going through them (this makes them the subject of the shot) 2)How is camerawork used to construct meaning? The meaning that can be given from camerawork includes a focus of emotion which can be given to a character, and also the ability for the audience to receive information that the character don't yet know, which adds more suspense, and can lead to a more dramatic scene. For example in the close up shot from a Western Shootout scene, you can see the focus one of the combatants eyes; one again keeping the audience on edge. Technical Codes of Film (Camera Movement) Pan Tilt Dutch Tilt Tracking Shot Dolly Shot Cr...

1)What is meant by film genre, sub-genre & hybrid genre? Genre is a way of categorizing a particular media text according to its content and style. Genre plays a major role in the way films are planned, produced and packaged by the studios and the way they are consumed and understood by audiences. This could either be in a form of hybrid genres or sub genres as well as a single genre. A hybrid genre would be the combining of two standard genres, for example and action thriller (Taken). A Sub genre is a extension withing a genre that has been defined over time, to develop its own ideas and trends, for example a Horror-Slasher (Scream) 2)What are film conventions? Film conventions are commonly followed practices that are used in the making of multiple mediums, and are things that have become expected from certain genres and settings for different texts of media. Codes and conventions are used together in any study of genre – it is not enough to discuss a technical code used such...

Why might the public become "desensitised" to traditional fundraising tactics? Because they have already been exposed to this tactic along time, they might think that these charities are not working, because the problems don't seem to have gone away yet, so by changing the tactics, it shows progress towards the charities goals. They become immune to the representation What is an archetype? The archetype is the original representation something. for example - Mrs Brown as archetype of Irish Mother. In the advert, how is Claudio represented? What codes are used to construct these representations? The dress codes of the advert’s main female character include a stereotypical knee-length skirt and pink colour palette in both her top and shoes. Her age is similar to the other young women she walks past at 00.30 and those who join her at the water pump at 01.00. This connotes that she has perhaps had to "grow up too quickly" because of the tough environment in...

1) How does the Water Aid advert, Rain for Good, follow conventions of charity advertising? You see the usual representation of poor Africans with basic conditions, the clothing worn by the women is stereotypical of these charity adverts. This convinces people to donate to these charities, as they are trusting it due to the large amount of exposure to this message. 2) How does the Water Aid advert, Rain for Good, challenge the conventions of charity advertising? This advert does not focus on the usual convention of focusing on the negatives, and showing the problems that these Africans are facing, instead showing the outcomes and the positives. 3) How are visual & audio codes used to establish the British setting at the start of the advert? At the start of the advert, we are shown images of technology, rain, and green imagery of nature, that we often see in our way of lives, this gives us a reminder for when we see the contrast of Africa, and tries to make us feel gr...