Media Studies GCSE

Hi there…

To those of you thinking of now doing a script / screenplay for sitcom instead of a storyboard, here is an example for you.  Thanks to Ruth for doing the initial work – this is an alternative version of her work!  Maybe you could see the original version on her own blog – the link is on the side bar.

Hi…

I have uploaded an outline for your magazine practical production evaluation.  I have added it to the coursework page too.

Three weeks left to final deadline.

AAAaaaaaagh!

WELCOME BACK 

I hope you all had a good holiday.

I had a great Holiday and I also had a baby daughter for Christmas!  

Her Name is Imogen and she’s very nice and funny and sweet and she cries a lot!

I am away for the next 2 weeks looking after her! 

So… You will have cover teachers until I get back in 2 weeks!

You know what the work is and if you need reminding, then click on the coursework page to refresh your memory!

The FINAL COURSEWORK DEADLINE IS 26th FEBRUARY 2010 - No work will be accepted after this date.  You need to finish all coursework including your magazine production.  All the help sheets you need are on the coursework page so get cracking.

When I get back in 2 weeks, we will begin putting your final coursework folders together!

Until then…

Mr. M

Here is the ’seen’ mock exam. Please prepare. Good luck and remember coloured pencils. Plan to spend 45 minutes on each task.

Task One

Use your understanding of the key concepts to analyse the magazine cover below.

      Marks will be awarded for the use of appropriate media language.

      You might want to consider the following points:

 

• Form

What is the genre of the magazine and how do you know?  What are the codes and conventions and how are they used?

• Audience

Who is the target audience for this publication and how does the magazine engage this audience?  How might audiences respond?

• Institution

What sort of institution is Sugar and what is the impact of this?

• Representations

How is the audience represented?  How are the people in the magazine represented to the audience?  How does the magazine use stereotypes?  Do they challenge stereotypes of conform to them?  What ideology does the magazine convey?

 

 

Task Two

Design your own magazine front cover in the space below.  Please also include your design notes on the paper provided, try to answer all the questions so we can understand your design choices.

• What have you called your magazine and why?
• What is the sub-genre of your magazine production and how are you using the codes and conventions?  Is your magazine conventional or are you trying to be more original and if so, how?
• Who is your target audience and how are you appealing to them?
• Have you used stereotypes in your production, are you challenging existing stereotypes or conforming to them?

 

GOOD LUCK YEAR 11

Hello 11C Media…

Really sorry to miss your lesson but I have a dose of the flu so I am not in school today.

Your cover work is :

PLEASE CONTINUE WITH FINISHING ALL OUTSTANDING COURSEWORK…

Please post all finished work to your blog page and I will give you feedback.

I have posted all the essay plans below so you can all get on and finish your evaluations and essays – whatever unit you are working on!  If there are things you don’t understand, then there are 3 things you could do:

1) Check the relevant blog page for tips and guidance – all the essays are planned out for you with notes and examples.

2) Talk to each other for help.

3) Send me a comment and I will reply to you later.

Thanks for your hard work… You have 5 weeks left – so please use your time and crack on.

See you on Wednesday – I plan to be germ free by then!

Bye for now…

Here are the essay plans…

1) Horror essay – ‘I Know What You Did Last Summer’

2) Horror poster evaluation.

3) Sitcom essay

4) Sitcom Evaluation

5) Pop Video Essay

6)  CD Cover Evaluation

 

Okay… So this show is a little like marmite… some love it, some hate – some just don’t get it!  BUT it is critically acclaimed so we need to understand why it is clever and what it is doing that is original.

Flight of the Conchords is unusual… It’s a mocumentary… Now we have seen these before like with ‘The Office’ and ‘I’m Alan Partridge’ but this one has the added dimension of also being a parody of the music industry and Germain and Bret often burst into song in the style of music videos which are silly and comical but also fairly believable – they follow the codes and conventions of rap, rock and love ballads in a clever and ironic way on a ‘do it yourself’ micro budget.

But the show is still a sitcom.  The situation is about 2 friends in a band with a rubbish manager trying to break into the music industry in New York.  The script plays an important role in the humour and the characters have awkward personalities which creates humour in the way they interact.  Like a sitcom there are 3 main characters and then a cast of supporting characters who play a less featured role – their job is to create opportunities within the script which involve the lead characters – Bret, Germain and Murray.  There are 2 key locations which are filmed in sets – 1 is Bret and Germain’s flat and 2 is Murray’s office where the band have their band meetings.  Much of the action also takes place on location on the streets of New York. 

I have included a brainstorm which shows some of the features of this sitcom.  Why not compare that to the brainstorm on the conventions of the sitcom and see if there are any differences.

Also below, there is an article taken from the NY times…  Why not see for yourself what the critics are saying!

Comments welcome as always.

Mr. M

New York Times Review page 1

New York Times Review page 2

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

New York Times review page 3

 

 

 

 

Here is the contents for your coursework portfolio… This needs to be done by Christmas.  Post it to your blog, or give it to me.

Mr. M

Go, Write, Create and FINISH

Okay…

Here is an article taken from the BBC blog about the decline of the TV sitcom…  Have a read.

Why is the sitcom dieing?  Do you like sitcoms?  If yes why? if no why not? What do you think about the article?  What response can you make? 

 Comments please…

THE DEATH OF BRITISH SITCOM

Professor Armando Iannucci gives his views on the decline of mainstream comedy.

To Oxford last night, and to possibly the best-attended lecture in the university all year: Professor Armando Iannucci giving the first of four talks on the hot topic of the day – whether or not the British sitcom is dead.

And his answer is no, if you’re talking quality. Or yes, if you’re talking big shows with big audiences.

He produced some stats to make the case: Twenty years ago, 14.7 million people watched the top five sitcoms. Five years ago, that slumped to 6.9 million. And the number of hours dedicated to original comedy on the four main channels has slumped from 264 in 1984 in 172 in 2004.

The problem, he said, was that the best comedians of his generation don’t want – or need – to work in the mainsteam channels; they can get rich and be considered a success playing to smaller audiences in the more protected schedules of BBC TWO or Channel 4, away from the glare of BBC ONE or ITV1.

“Success and popularity can be won on smaller channels at less of a risk. So it’s we, the so-called subversives, who are actually playing it safe,” he said.

So he called for a mainstream comedy revival, dismissing the idea that means dumbing down. The best mainstream comedies weren’t “middle-aged, middle-class, ethnically cleansed suburban sitcoms” but challenging programmes like Steptoe And Son, Porridge and Yes Minister.

“Audiences are more alert and daring than we give them credit for,” he said.

“There’s sophisticated work in mainstream drama. Producers of mainstream drama have no hang-ups about being challenging, daring and innovative. Sitcom has been left behind. We have to think more boldly about popular comedy.”

As well as being visiting professor of broadcast media at Oxford, Iannucci is one of a team of BBC executives charged with finding new mainstream comedy.

Hi to the new Media Studies students and Hi as well to all of you returning.

The good news is that the Media department did really well last year with a 95% A – C pass rate at GCSE and we’re aiming to do just as well again!  So lets go… get your blogs active and lets start the digital learning…  Oooooh Rah.