Monday, 26 March 2012
In the exam you are required to answer 2 questions worth 25 marks each. Both questions will relate to your production work.
Question 1(A) - Requires you to focus your skills development across all of your production work (AS,A2 and outside of college). You must describe your skills development ( and discuss at least 2 productions) in relation to 1 of the following production practices:
Digital Technology, Creativity, Research and Planning and using conventions from real media texts.
Questions will relate to 1 or 2 of the categories above.
Question 1 (B):
Question 1 (B) is specific to 1 of your production pieces
You will be required to evaluate your work in relation to 1 of the following concepts:
*Genre
*Narrative
*Representation
*Audience
Media language (always important in the exam).
You must be prepared to evaluate your product in relation to all of the above concepts.
Critical Reflection - Tips:
Focus on creative decisions informed by institutional knowledge and theoretical understanding -When writing you need a reason
Evaluate you process - don't just describe it - why do some things work and some didn't, it doesn't matter whether everything worked as long as you state you are aware of why the did or why they didn't work.
Relate you media to real media - analyzing micro elements.
Try to deconstruct yourself - analyse the reasons for your decisions.
Choose relevant micro examples to relate to larger themes.
Discuss wether your products follow or challenge existing conventions (probably a bit of both).
Think about how the requirements of the task affected what you did (project for the media studies has different requirements than making a video for an artist as a self employed producer).
Quote and reference . Use evidence to support your points.
Question 1(A) - Requires you to focus your skills development across all of your production work (AS,A2 and outside of college). You must describe your skills development ( and discuss at least 2 productions) in relation to 1 of the following production practices:
Digital Technology, Creativity, Research and Planning and using conventions from real media texts.
Questions will relate to 1 or 2 of the categories above.
Question 1 (B):
Question 1 (B) is specific to 1 of your production pieces
You will be required to evaluate your work in relation to 1 of the following concepts:
*Genre
*Narrative
*Representation
*Audience
Media language (always important in the exam).
You must be prepared to evaluate your product in relation to all of the above concepts.
Critical Reflection - Tips:
Focus on creative decisions informed by institutional knowledge and theoretical understanding -When writing you need a reason
Evaluate you process - don't just describe it - why do some things work and some didn't, it doesn't matter whether everything worked as long as you state you are aware of why the did or why they didn't work.
Relate you media to real media - analyzing micro elements.
Try to deconstruct yourself - analyse the reasons for your decisions.
Choose relevant micro examples to relate to larger themes.
Discuss wether your products follow or challenge existing conventions (probably a bit of both).
Think about how the requirements of the task affected what you did (project for the media studies has different requirements than making a video for an artist as a self employed producer).
Quote and reference . Use evidence to support your points.
Wednesday, 21 March 2012
General Essay plan example
Introduction - Address the question, key terms and points raised.
Defining postmodernism /What is postmodernism? - Pretend that whoever is reading doesn't know what postmodernism is about, at the beginning talk in general about it, an overview, maybe refer to one or two specific examples that demonstrate a theorists point.
Different ways of looking at Postmodernism - Historical period, Theoretical and stylistic. Historical period - relate to Modernism, features of postmodern period, key texts.
Theoretical - different theorists and their theories.
Stylistic - features, examples.
Case Study 1 and 2 - make sure their two different mediums, not two games or two programs or two films, but a mixture of maybe 1 game 1 film and perhaps a brief mention of a tv program that relates or connects both of the main examples.
How postmodern texts challenge text/reader relations.
Postmodern audiences and instituions.
Defining postmodernism /What is postmodernism? - Pretend that whoever is reading doesn't know what postmodernism is about, at the beginning talk in general about it, an overview, maybe refer to one or two specific examples that demonstrate a theorists point.
Different ways of looking at Postmodernism - Historical period, Theoretical and stylistic. Historical period - relate to Modernism, features of postmodern period, key texts.
Theoretical - different theorists and their theories.
Stylistic - features, examples.
Case Study 1 and 2 - make sure their two different mediums, not two games or two programs or two films, but a mixture of maybe 1 game 1 film and perhaps a brief mention of a tv program that relates or connects both of the main examples.
How postmodern texts challenge text/reader relations.
Postmodern audiences and instituions.
Monday, 19 March 2012
Past paper questions examples
1) What is meant by Postmodern media?
2) Explain why the idea of "Postmodern media" might be considered controversial.
3) Why are some media products defined as postmodern?
4) "Postmodern texts blur the boundaries between reality and representation" Discuss this idea with reference to media texts that you have studied.
5) Discuss 2 or more media texts that you would define as postmodern and explain why you would give them this label. Cover at least 2 media in your answer.
6) Consider the ways postmodern media challenge conventional relations between audience and text. Refer to at least 2 media forms in your answer.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(expand on this by analyzing and comparing a companion text such as Call of duty or reality programs such as big brother, offering a completely different media, but that relates to the main theorist, expand on Jean Baudriard section as it strongly ties in with the question and the text's being covered)
4) "Postmodern texts blur the boundaries between reality and representation" Discuss this idea with reference to media texts that you have studied."
Madmen
Introduction;
The interesting thing about the following two texts (Madmen and Big Brother) is the way in which they blur the boundaries between reality and representation whilst being two completely different programs. A common feature of postmodern texts is the way that they split the gap between fiction and non fiction to create a sort of hyper-fiction.
A post modern program involves a far more aesthetic approach to narrative than the classical convention of modernism. The way that post modern media brings together the characters into a cohesive and continuos plot is through micro narratives surrounding each character involved in detail whilst through some lovel level, inconspicuous task such as work collages in a work place (Madmen, the office etc).
The program Madmen is postmodern, if only for the fact that it is set in a version of 1950's America, a version mimicking all of the programs from the 1950's but with modern humour and the questioning of convention's. For instance the first show is set around trying to promote Cigarettes when health administrations are trying to claim that it is a poisonous, bad product. Cigarettes were seen as a normal part of life in the 1950's, however the program ironically challenges this.
Though more of the 1950's correctness is mocked, only on the back of the main target of cigarettes however in the episode. There is a certain confrontation being exhibited by the character of Saul, who sticks out like a saw thumb. The behavior he projects is that of a modern-day stereotype in the vain of flamboyant homosexual. For instance, when the main character and Saul are conversing on a cigarette advertisement design, Saul simply shows the lead character a picture of a half naked man with a packet of cigarettes.
The lead then attempts to hint at something is missing, eventually telling him to put a woman in it, to which Saul acts disgruntled and shocked. The irony in his open-denial is that the other characters seems oblivious of his eccentric antics which further confuse the audience who can see it plainly. This is mimicking the shut off, conventional way of thinking of modernism, taken largely from the programs the show is based off creating a pastiche-like cast of characters.
The main character cross's the conventions of many set 1950's boundaries, he cheats on his wife, he makes presentations spontaneously on the fly and he doesn't believe in love. The conversation where he discuss's his views on love is very important in this regard as the woman he is talking with suggests that he is "Out of place" and "Different from other men". This is the program letting the audience know that this is postmodern as it is indirectly, directly saying that a character doesn't belong within the conventional setting of a illusion/ altered of 1950's America.
The theroists which I think most apply to this show is Jean Baudriard and Michel Foucault. Jeans theories of The lost of history and consumer society, "A culture of consumption has so much taken over our ways of thinking that all reality is filtered through the logic of exchange value and advertising." The show is based on advertising, there is massive amounts of humour in the ironic vien when for instance the cigarette firm are seeing a pitch, and say there's nothing wrong with smoking, get out cigarettes and start coughing up bad.
Michel Foucault "He argued that there is no "objective truth" and that all knowledge is told by someone or institution and __is the product of whoever has power. It is always told from a point of view." This program does touch on this topic and somewhat more in later episodes when the company begins shooting advertisement commercials.
Big Brother on the other hand deals with these themes in a more secretive way, by giving the illusion that what the audience is seeing isn't stage, while all the time setting parameters and rules for the house mates to live by; even going as far as the audience having direct input (who stays in till the end). This shows a massive amount of active audience being applied to the program in a very literal sense.
This literal take on the core concepts of Postmodernism is an aspect that Big Brother uses to its aid, it is one of the encompassing features of the show is the way it apply's the theories literally, thus crossing the boundary of theory in postmodern texts.
The other aspect of Big Brother which really stands out in contrast to Madmen specifically is the way in which it doesn't tell a grand story, but many smaller more intimate stories. The audience can become attached in a way to different characters just from the eerie scenes of watching house-mates sleeping or showering. The level of detail and at times obscurity and lack of meaning to the narrative lead people to become so frustrated with the continual lack of continuity that they keep watching to try and make sense of it, all the while it lacking any real sense than what they apply to it.
I this because I think the shows require a lot of context and interpretation to bare any meaning to the audience. They don't exhibit clear moral dilemmas but more complex and seemingly innocuous plot devices which hide grand metaphors behind possible phrases as,"Who ever stole my toast is gonna get a forkin'!" - This is made up, but I have heard such things spouted out on Big Brother when I've seen it in the past.
To end, I believe Madmen has a lot going on in it and would be a prime example to study, as for the numerous different angles you could come at it from. Big Brother is like a staple foundation of Postmodernism and I think a deeper analysation of its behaviour and effects on people may be a logical route to use it as contrast. The way that people swarm to it, speak about it almost biblically and even grow as stronger feelings as love and hate seems almost like a form of media manipulation.
2) Explain why the idea of "Postmodern media" might be considered controversial.
3) Why are some media products defined as postmodern?
4) "Postmodern texts blur the boundaries between reality and representation" Discuss this idea with reference to media texts that you have studied.
5) Discuss 2 or more media texts that you would define as postmodern and explain why you would give them this label. Cover at least 2 media in your answer.
6) Consider the ways postmodern media challenge conventional relations between audience and text. Refer to at least 2 media forms in your answer.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(expand on this by analyzing and comparing a companion text such as Call of duty or reality programs such as big brother, offering a completely different media, but that relates to the main theorist, expand on Jean Baudriard section as it strongly ties in with the question and the text's being covered)
4) "Postmodern texts blur the boundaries between reality and representation" Discuss this idea with reference to media texts that you have studied."
Madmen
Introduction;
The interesting thing about the following two texts (Madmen and Big Brother) is the way in which they blur the boundaries between reality and representation whilst being two completely different programs. A common feature of postmodern texts is the way that they split the gap between fiction and non fiction to create a sort of hyper-fiction.
A post modern program involves a far more aesthetic approach to narrative than the classical convention of modernism. The way that post modern media brings together the characters into a cohesive and continuos plot is through micro narratives surrounding each character involved in detail whilst through some lovel level, inconspicuous task such as work collages in a work place (Madmen, the office etc).
The program Madmen is postmodern, if only for the fact that it is set in a version of 1950's America, a version mimicking all of the programs from the 1950's but with modern humour and the questioning of convention's. For instance the first show is set around trying to promote Cigarettes when health administrations are trying to claim that it is a poisonous, bad product. Cigarettes were seen as a normal part of life in the 1950's, however the program ironically challenges this.
Though more of the 1950's correctness is mocked, only on the back of the main target of cigarettes however in the episode. There is a certain confrontation being exhibited by the character of Saul, who sticks out like a saw thumb. The behavior he projects is that of a modern-day stereotype in the vain of flamboyant homosexual. For instance, when the main character and Saul are conversing on a cigarette advertisement design, Saul simply shows the lead character a picture of a half naked man with a packet of cigarettes.
The lead then attempts to hint at something is missing, eventually telling him to put a woman in it, to which Saul acts disgruntled and shocked. The irony in his open-denial is that the other characters seems oblivious of his eccentric antics which further confuse the audience who can see it plainly. This is mimicking the shut off, conventional way of thinking of modernism, taken largely from the programs the show is based off creating a pastiche-like cast of characters.
The main character cross's the conventions of many set 1950's boundaries, he cheats on his wife, he makes presentations spontaneously on the fly and he doesn't believe in love. The conversation where he discuss's his views on love is very important in this regard as the woman he is talking with suggests that he is "Out of place" and "Different from other men". This is the program letting the audience know that this is postmodern as it is indirectly, directly saying that a character doesn't belong within the conventional setting of a illusion/ altered of 1950's America.
The theroists which I think most apply to this show is Jean Baudriard and Michel Foucault. Jeans theories of The lost of history and consumer society, "A culture of consumption has so much taken over our ways of thinking that all reality is filtered through the logic of exchange value and advertising." The show is based on advertising, there is massive amounts of humour in the ironic vien when for instance the cigarette firm are seeing a pitch, and say there's nothing wrong with smoking, get out cigarettes and start coughing up bad.
Michel Foucault "He argued that there is no "objective truth" and that all knowledge is told by someone or institution and __is the product of whoever has power. It is always told from a point of view." This program does touch on this topic and somewhat more in later episodes when the company begins shooting advertisement commercials.
Big Brother on the other hand deals with these themes in a more secretive way, by giving the illusion that what the audience is seeing isn't stage, while all the time setting parameters and rules for the house mates to live by; even going as far as the audience having direct input (who stays in till the end). This shows a massive amount of active audience being applied to the program in a very literal sense.
This literal take on the core concepts of Postmodernism is an aspect that Big Brother uses to its aid, it is one of the encompassing features of the show is the way it apply's the theories literally, thus crossing the boundary of theory in postmodern texts.
The other aspect of Big Brother which really stands out in contrast to Madmen specifically is the way in which it doesn't tell a grand story, but many smaller more intimate stories. The audience can become attached in a way to different characters just from the eerie scenes of watching house-mates sleeping or showering. The level of detail and at times obscurity and lack of meaning to the narrative lead people to become so frustrated with the continual lack of continuity that they keep watching to try and make sense of it, all the while it lacking any real sense than what they apply to it.
I this because I think the shows require a lot of context and interpretation to bare any meaning to the audience. They don't exhibit clear moral dilemmas but more complex and seemingly innocuous plot devices which hide grand metaphors behind possible phrases as,"Who ever stole my toast is gonna get a forkin'!" - This is made up, but I have heard such things spouted out on Big Brother when I've seen it in the past.
To end, I believe Madmen has a lot going on in it and would be a prime example to study, as for the numerous different angles you could come at it from. Big Brother is like a staple foundation of Postmodernism and I think a deeper analysation of its behaviour and effects on people may be a logical route to use it as contrast. The way that people swarm to it, speak about it almost biblically and even grow as stronger feelings as love and hate seems almost like a form of media manipulation.
Monday, 12 March 2012
Madmen
Questions to answer :
Madmen is a comedy set in a 1950/60's advertisement company. The plot of the first episode we watched involved the company trying to figure out a way to sell
Why is this postmodern? Why might it be harder to relate to postmodernism.
Think about the theorists that relate;
*Baudrillard:
- Representation/impression of the 1960's - not "The" 60's.
- Based on other versions of 1960's America we have seen in other texts such as Bewitched.
*Lyotard:
- Rejections of Meta-Narratives e.g Marriage and cheating, at-least two characters cheat on their other half's in this, there isn't any complex plots or schemes, the show leads multiple plots at one time. - Smoking is bad, heavy drinking, racism sexism etc are all perceived as fine in the time the program is set, so its accepting and rejecting meta-narratives at the same time by including these things.
*Derrida:
- Lack of meaning, concern with surface appearances, multiple meanings.
*Jameson:
- Recycling of other 1960's set texts.
- Historicizing the past.
- Concern with surface appearances + nothing deep
- Link to consumer culture:
- Mad Men dolls
- Banana republic clothing
- Books + other merchandise.
_The show is about advertising._
Offers a good contrast to other post modern texts, is very contemporary being up to date with a new series out at the end of the month.
Possibly a little deeper than really obvious examples of postmodern texts.
Notes:
The introduction scene is very stylized, reminds me of Stanley Kubrick style, lots of silhouette focus and montage theme of pictures overlapping. Saul Bass inspired title design. Alfred Hitchcock "Vertigo".
Intro music which is reminiscent of 50's 60's with a modern twist on the bass line.
Introduction has presumably the protagonist falling, possible intertextual reference to a modern event in history 9/11.
"Readers digest said that smoking will kill you, ladies love their magazines!"-
Everyone is smoking cigarettes in the beginning.
"(Man) I think we should get married.
(Woman) You'd like me to be your ex wife?" Ironic, sarcastic humour. Lack of meaning.
"So your suggesting people are living one way whilst thinking the opposite, thats ridiculous..." Says the man clearly in denial. - active audience to recognize this type of humour, the fact it is set in the 50/60's means the characters in the programe do not catch on to the joke whilst the audience does (context).
Irony and satire: Smoking in doctors office, Sexism, casual racism "I'll just nip to the dellie and grab you a jew."
The way it ends with the lead guy looking over his children whilst the wife stands in the door way mimics shows of the time it is supposed to be set in, poking fun at the 50's perfect fake image of family, its almost like an advertisements. The fact that the lead is having an affair completely makes this scene bullocks to the audience.
Fiction mixed with the real.
Blurring of boundaries.
Historieising the past - not an accurate portrail of the past but does have some continuity with major events of the time. Therefore it is a representation or impression of life at the time.
The character of Don Draper:
- Different/Out of place, different world view.
- Disconnected.
- "No such thing as love" Pessimistic.
- Lack of Meaning.
- The way he pitched was spontaneous, he rejected the conventional way with slides, un conventional.
- Rejects motion of traditional marriage - cheats on his wife.
- Rejection of Meta-narrative.
Madmen is a comedy set in a 1950/60's advertisement company. The plot of the first episode we watched involved the company trying to figure out a way to sell
Why is this postmodern? Why might it be harder to relate to postmodernism.
Think about the theorists that relate;
*Baudrillard:
- Representation/impression of the 1960's - not "The" 60's.
- Based on other versions of 1960's America we have seen in other texts such as Bewitched.
*Lyotard:
- Rejections of Meta-Narratives e.g Marriage and cheating, at-least two characters cheat on their other half's in this, there isn't any complex plots or schemes, the show leads multiple plots at one time. - Smoking is bad, heavy drinking, racism sexism etc are all perceived as fine in the time the program is set, so its accepting and rejecting meta-narratives at the same time by including these things.
*Derrida:
- Lack of meaning, concern with surface appearances, multiple meanings.
*Jameson:
- Recycling of other 1960's set texts.
- Historicizing the past.
- Concern with surface appearances + nothing deep
- Link to consumer culture:
- Mad Men dolls
- Banana republic clothing
- Books + other merchandise.
_The show is about advertising._
Offers a good contrast to other post modern texts, is very contemporary being up to date with a new series out at the end of the month.
Possibly a little deeper than really obvious examples of postmodern texts.
Notes:
The introduction scene is very stylized, reminds me of Stanley Kubrick style, lots of silhouette focus and montage theme of pictures overlapping. Saul Bass inspired title design. Alfred Hitchcock "Vertigo".
Intro music which is reminiscent of 50's 60's with a modern twist on the bass line.
Introduction has presumably the protagonist falling, possible intertextual reference to a modern event in history 9/11.
"Readers digest said that smoking will kill you, ladies love their magazines!"-
Everyone is smoking cigarettes in the beginning.
"(Man) I think we should get married.
(Woman) You'd like me to be your ex wife?" Ironic, sarcastic humour. Lack of meaning.
"So your suggesting people are living one way whilst thinking the opposite, thats ridiculous..." Says the man clearly in denial. - active audience to recognize this type of humour, the fact it is set in the 50/60's means the characters in the programe do not catch on to the joke whilst the audience does (context).
Irony and satire: Smoking in doctors office, Sexism, casual racism "I'll just nip to the dellie and grab you a jew."
The way it ends with the lead guy looking over his children whilst the wife stands in the door way mimics shows of the time it is supposed to be set in, poking fun at the 50's perfect fake image of family, its almost like an advertisements. The fact that the lead is having an affair completely makes this scene bullocks to the audience.
Fiction mixed with the real.
Blurring of boundaries.
Historieising the past - not an accurate portrail of the past but does have some continuity with major events of the time. Therefore it is a representation or impression of life at the time.
The character of Don Draper:
- Different/Out of place, different world view.
- Disconnected.
- "No such thing as love" Pessimistic.
- Lack of Meaning.
- The way he pitched was spontaneous, he rejected the conventional way with slides, un conventional.
- Rejects motion of traditional marriage - cheats on his wife.
- Rejection of Meta-narrative.
Postmodernism Case Study on Shenmue
Over the following week and half term, make a case study of the dreamcast game Shenmue using the Postmodernism case study sheet for reference.
Create an essay explaining why it is postmodern and create a video presentation explaining these ideas with the actual references using clips captured whilst playing the game (for instance, this is a simulation, shows Ryu picking up an apple).
Maybe compare it to other open world games such as Grand theft auto.
Create an essay explaining why it is postmodern and create a video presentation explaining these ideas with the actual references using clips captured whilst playing the game (for instance, this is a simulation, shows Ryu picking up an apple).
Maybe compare it to other open world games such as Grand theft auto.
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