Opening Paragraphs - Representation and audience questions

Representation: 
Opening paragraph relevant to the representation of gender

The media is the most persuasive and most powerful influence that changed how we perceive men and women. Both Men and Women are represented differently throughout a range of media texts, whether it's a magazine or a video all forms of media communicate images of both gender's in an unrealistic way. I will talk about three different ways that gender is represented or how its represented. Firstly the media is constructed to institute messages into our minds by encoding their own beliefs into the media texts. Secondly the media sets high expectations for both men and women so causes both the struggle with body image and lastly women are often under-represented which falsely implies that men are more powerful which may be partly down to the dominant ideology.

Audience:
Opening paragraph relevant to a question about audience.

Explore, with examples, how audiences may respond differently to the same media text?
The aim of all media texts is to target a specific audience, however audiences don't all act the same way, audiences are made up of individuals who respond differently to the same media texts due to a range of factors. Some factors are Gender, age, ethnicity, culture and experiences. It can also be dependent on their upbringing. However audiences may also react differently due to their uses and gratifications. Audiences may be attracted to media texts due to the attempt to find their own personal identity, to find out information, or for entertainment.

Representation of Age in the Media

Some Stereotypical characteristics of teenagers are that they are immature, lazy, careless and self-entitled. They also tend to be linked to gang culture, drugs and drink.

Whereas some stereotypical characteristics of elderly people are grumpy, slow. Weak and hard-of-hearing.

During May 2006 a content analysis of 2130 news items across the main television channels was conducted.  They found that young people were mainly represented as a violent threat to society. It seemed that the media only delivers a one dimensional picture of youth, one that encourages fear rather than understanding. For example the Croydon riots fuelled the teenage gang stereotype as it is said most people involved in the riots were teenagers

Middle aged people are usually seen as quite uptight and stressed, and revolved around work.

Upper Class and Middle class elderly people are often portrayed in television and film as occupying high status roles such as world leaders, business executives and judges.

Age is represented in Mrs Brown Boys through different characters. Grandad brown is shown to be weak and constantly complaining, he is usually pictured to be lying down on  chair sleeping as if he has no energy, where as young Buster Brady is represented as stupid and as if he’s never going to achieve anything.

Demographics and Psychometrics

Demographics: Demographics are the statistical data relating to the population and particular groups with in it.  Demographics are studies of the population based on different factors. These factors include age, race, gender, economic status, level of education and income level and employment.

Social grades
A- Higher managerial, administrative and professional
B- Intermediate managerial, administrative and professional
C1- Supervisory, Clerical and junior managerial
C2- Skilled Manual Workers
D- Semi skilled/un skilled manual workers
E- State pensioners, casual and lowest grade workers, unemployed with state benefits only.

Demographics are used to learn more about the population's characteristics by governments, corporations and non government organisations for many purposes including policy development and economic market research.
The size of different demographic groups will change over time as a result of economic, cultural and political circumstances.

Psychometrics: Psychometrics is the science of measuring mental capacities and processes. It is concerned with the theory and technique of psychological measurement, which includes measurement of knowledge, abilities, attitudes and personality traits. It is particularly concerned with the study of differences between individuals. A psychometric audience profile defines and audience by their values, attitudes and lifestyles. As the concept of class and audience become a less appropriate way of defining an audience, advertisers considered different ways of categorising audiences.
Young and Rubicam are a New York advertising agency who developed a method of categorising people into recognisable stereotypes that reflected their motivational needs and VALs (Values, attitudes and lifestyles). The main groups are:

Mainstreamers- These make up 40% of the population. They like security, tried and trusted brands. They like value for money and are less likely to take risks.

Aspirers- They want status and prefer brands that show their pace in society. The are happy to buy designer labels on credit and may be persuaded by celebrity endorsement.

Explorers- They like to discover new things. They are attracted by brands that offer new experiences.

Succeeders- They already have status and control and have nothing to prove. They prefer brands that are serous and reliable.

Reformers- They are defined by self esteem and self fulfilment. The tend to be innovative and are less impressed by status. They are socially aware and not materialistic. They may be more inclined to buy brands that are considered healthy or environmentally friendly.

Visual and technical codes

Music Video: Uptown Funk - Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars



Visual Codes: At the very beginning a woman's legs are shown walking in heels which the song will be about a woman or women. It then continues to show a montage flashing between the woman and the men standing over the other side. The camera rises every time the woman is shown, and she walks past two men and the rest of the music starts to play. All the men are dancing whilst Bruno Mars also sings, all of their outfits are bright e.g. pink blazer, white suit. All of these colours stand out against the dark buildings that are shown behind them with the colours of plain black and navy blue. All the men are also wearing thin gold chains around their necks which suggests wealth. Several women then walk past one by one and all the men lean forward and look at them as if admiring them.

Technical Codes: The camera spins around in front of them at some points causing the men to look as if they are upside down, this creates a sense of movement along with their dancing. Many if the shots are longs shots because their is more than one man so they are all able to fit in the scene. The camera moves backwards as the men walk towards it to again create a sense of movement  and to make it seem like you moving with them. Close up's are also used at times to show the movement in more detail or the show the most important part of the scene.

Magazine Cover: Bazaar

Visual Codes: The Masthead is really big and is in gold so that is stands out against the black background. Their are also a few other subheadings that are coloured in gold and any other sub headings are in White. Both of these colours contrast the black background. Natalie Portman features on the front of this magazine and she is wearing a necklace, the necklace shines a golden colour around the edges which matches the masthead, one earring is also shown that is golden and stands out against her skin. Her lips are red so they stand out and you focus on her face as well the rest of the magazine. They tried to make her look classy and mentions she is wearing 'Audrey Hepburn's dress' as she is a very feminine classy figure.

Film Poster: Identity

Visual Codes: The use of the hand is really effective because we all have our own handprint and we all have fingerprints that are different and create our own individual identity. Also the red on the side of the hand implicates blood so makes the film seem like it would be a thriller. The handprint is directly in the middle so the main focus will be on the hand. The black and red hand stands out against the white background. The fingers of the hand are made out of human figures which makes me imagine the film is about trying to find the identity of someone. The title is quite small and also features the black and red that is shown on the hand. There is a facial expression shown on the hand that looks quite scared which also makes the think this is a thriller and is aimed at the audience of 18-30 males and females. The phrase at the top of the poster "Identity is a secret. Identity is a mystery. Identity is a killer." This phrase makes me imagine that people in the film are confused about identity in some way.

Technical codes: The face inside the hand print was put there deliberately to send across and image of fear and worry about the fact that they cannot find or understand there identity. All the shadows of the people are on the same hand so they may have done this to make the viewer think that the characters are linked in some way due to their identity. 

Film trailer: The Hunger Games

Narrative: This trailer tells me that it is set in the future because it is not realistic for the 21st century, I can also tell that the setting is in the country side. You can tell they have to go through some sort of training and have to fight in an arena against one another.

Visual Codes: The area nearer the beginning of the trailer is very green which tells the audience it is set in the countryside for most of the film. A group of people are walking and it shows their faces to be quite dull and unhappy. The people are wearing boring plain clothes which suggests that they are poor, however when it shows the lady standing at the microphone she is wearing vibrant interesting clothing with an unusual hairstyle. Comparing her to the rest of the people this suggests she is rich and can afford expensive things. The film shows themes of family within because the protagonist is shown hugging her sister. They write "from the best-selling epic novels" which suggests that the main audience of the film will most likely be people who have read and are fans of the hunger games. At the end the book logo appears and all the writing is in gold because that is the same colour as the logo and the fire that is shown. They include the book's signature slogan at the end.

Technical/Audio Codes: At the very start the sound of birds can be heard which sets the scene and shows that they are in the country and a close up of the protagonist is shown with her hair blowing in the wind which shows the weather. The lady talking is speaking through a microphone which suggests her authority over others. A close up of a hand is shown in a bowl ready to pick out a piece of paper which creates a sense of tension. It features of close up of both 'tributes' looking towards each other, both look very sad and scared which suggests what they are going to go through isn't good. A quick establishing shot of a city is shown to show where they are going. Many different quick shots are shown in a montage of the 'tributes' training and audio is heard over explaining the rules of the games. The music that is playing nearer the end gets higher in pitch to create tension and to build the atmosphere, the music stops suddenly when they enter the arena and a countdown begins. When a gunshot sounds, loud fast tempo music plays before the franchises signature whistle plays and the logo appears.

Gogglebox

What is it about?

Gogglebox is a ‘reality’ show that features families watching tv and sharing their opinions. The show ranges through many different families of different ages, gender and ethnicity’s and listens to their opinions on show that are aired. The show travels to the families houses and records their comments. 

Where is it filmed?

Gogglebox is filmed in the houses of the people featured, it travels from Brighton to Essex and a range of other places.

Do I like it?

I do like the show because although it is constructed and some people may play up to the cameras slightly to make themselves more interesting, it’s still good to here other peoples opinions on topics, TV shows and news stories.

Representation

The show features many different ethnicities, ages, sexualities, and classes and shows both genders, however these people are not represented to be that different from one another, as their opinions are not completely different.  This shows that we don’t all think completely different just because we look different. It represents everyone to be modern day families.

Audience

The show has a very wide audience because of the wide range of people featured in the show. The show caters for people of all ages and races as so many different people would be able to easier relate. It’s not a show that only shows one race and gender, they make sure everyone is able to understand or relate in some way. It targets families, most likely those with teenagers because it's post watershed and may contain swearing.

Message

The message of the show if that we aren't all as different as we think we are. When you watch it you might agree with one of the opinions put across by the elderly couple Leon and June and that just goes to show that you might have a 40 year age gap but that doesn't mean you don’t share the same opinions about a story on the news. It rules out the thought that only people of the same age and ethnicity think and feel the same things, it shows a wider range of similarities.

Production values

Gogglebox is filmed using a stationery camera that stays in the rooms with the families watching television. They use close ups to give you a greater feeling of the emotions that the people are giving as they give opinions and when they hear other people’s opinions. When these close up are used it is obvious that editing has been used because they want to show that particular person’s face. They may zoom in to do this or they may have other cameras in the room filming everything in close ups ready to edit in later. It does seem staged because their all their living rooms are so clean and sometimes they come across as it they are acting for the cameras.

Final Merchandise - Poster and dvd cover

This is my final poster for my television series Limbo. It consists of the series name 'Limbo', a slogan that links to my series 'Hunt or be Hunted' and the red bloody hand print is my series logo, this also features on my clothing merchandise. The forest represents one area of my arena and features one of the teenagers in the car crash entering this area, she is holding a weapon because they are all given one weapon to help them survive during their time in the game show.
If I was to create another poster it would have another section of the arena and maybe one of the other characters.

This is my DVD cover I created for my tv series. I used the red bloody hand print again because its my logo. On the back I have written some information about the first series. 'The beginning of the end' is the name of my first episode and subtly describes the series. The background is just one setting on an area in the game show. It is rated 15 so the 15 stamp is on the front.

Production ideas update including all Merchandise

For my poster i have now decided to use a background of one of my arena setting.
I may use the woods or a destroyed city.

This is an example of what it may look like, it would feature a girl walking into the forest and the television series name would be at the bottom right hand corner. One of the series slogans may also be featured or one of the supernatural creatures.
The destroyed city may feature the slogan in the sky and the series name.

I feel that either one of these would link better to my series because these are places that it will be set more often. I also want to create a DVD cover for my first series.

Merchandise - My merchandise consists of various items that link to my TV series
The Jumper: 

The jumper features the slogan 'Hunt or be hunted...' because that is one of the slogans that will be used in my series. The jumper is most likely to be black or white because of the red 'bloody' hand print that will be featured need to stand out.

The T-shirt: 

The t-shirt will feature the same slogan as the jumper or the slogan 'Who will survive?' because this slogan will feature on the poster. The t-shirt is most likely to be white because the poster will consist of a white wall in the building with this writing on it. Red bloody hands will also be shown.

 Badge: 

The badge consists of a simple logo that I am using for my TV series. The logo is used so people know what series it is for.

Phone Case:

I have created two phone cases cases I have used the main image of my poster and the other phone case includes my series logo and one slogan.