1. MediaStudiesExtDiploma: Audience TheoryTask
Stuart Hall’sReceptionTheory
Task 1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8-5NpCXwEE
Watch the music videoforMileyCyrus’WreckingBall’
Make noteson:
Camera
The camera shotsvary betweendifferent
camera anglessuchas close ups,extreme close
ups, mediumclose upandlongshots.The
musicvideohasmanyextreme close ups of
Mileysface the videostartsand endswithclose
upsof herface,the close upsshowthe emotion
of herwhenitis an extreme close upandwhen
it’sthe mediumclose upsshowherona
wreckingball, there isalsomanyshotof her lay
on the floorand the shotsconsistof close ups
of herbodyand the use of tracking.
There isalso a lotof midshotsthroughoutthe
videoof the wreckingball andof milesface to
projectheremotion.The shotsre usedinthe
musicwell andreallyshowthe audience the
emotioneventhe the shotsare verymuch
basic.
Sound(non diegetic;considerlyrical
content/musical style)
The soundin the videoisthe musicitself,the
track is calledwreckingball the musicisapop
songand has a strong chorus,the song is
extremelypowerful andthe musicvideomisen
scene reflectsthe lyricsanditisreally
emotional. Some of lyricssuchas“don’tyou
eversayI just walkedawayIjustwill always
wantyou, I came here like wreakingball”the
obviouswreakingball inthe scene.Anotherset
of lyrics “I shouldhave letyouin” fromthe
lyricsshe isobviouslygoingthroughahard
emotional breakup.
2. MediaStudiesExtDiploma: Audience TheoryTask
Stuart Hall’sReceptionTheory
Editing
There isn’treallymucheditingusedwithinthis
musicvideo,there are justbasicclipsandcuts
betweenthe shots,the clipsare shortbetween
each andare editedwhichlookssimple,there
isis a use of slowmotioninsome of the shots.
Mise en scene
The overall lookof the scene inthe music
videoisverymasculine andmanbased
environmentwiththe wrecking ball looks like a
menworkarea, Mileyherself ismainlynaked
throughoutthe whole videobutdoesweara
white topand white underwear,she wearsred
lipstichwhichdoeshascolour contentionsof
dangerand lust.The scene hasjust Mileyand
the wreakingandsledge hammer,the grey
backgroundof concrete and thismakesher
standout.
3. MediaStudiesExtDiploma: Audience TheoryTask
Stuart Hall’sReceptionTheory
Task 2: Discussion;Whattypesof representationare encodedbythe producerinthe video?Are
there anychallengestocertaintypesof representation? Whatisyourreadingof it? How have you
decodedthem;positivelyornegatively?
Encodingisbasicallythe textwhichwasencodedfromthe producerandDecodingisdecodedby
the audience. There are three differentreadingsthatmightbe decodedbythe audience suchas
preferred,negotiatedandoppositional.Mythoughtsof the musicvideobyMileyCyrus“Wrecking
ball”ispreferred,Ichose the readingof preferredbecause Ifeelthe musicvideowasproduced
goodand the whole aesthicof the videowasgreat,a lotof people were critical andsaidMiley
usedthe videoina negative waybutshe didn’t,the musicvideohadsomanypositive messages
and some negative aboutthe lyricsbutMileyhadmessagesinthisvideosuchasbodyconfidence,
breakingdownwallswhichisametaphorforemotional issues.Peoplewouldbe critical abouther
beingnakedbutthisisthe newimage she wantsto leadand if a man wasnakedor toplesspeople
wouldn’treallyspeakoutbutbecause it’sawomanandbecause of her back groundpeople just
finditoffensivewhichIcanunderstandfrom parent’s pointof view because itisabit explicitfor
youngchildbutoverall the videoispreferred. Olderpeopleasan audience wouldn’tbe targeted
because withtheirsocial backgroundmostolderpeople wouldn’tsee the messagesinthe music
videotheywouldjustthinkit’s“disgusting”whichisafar argumentbecause foryoungerchildren
it’sjusttoo much.
Consideryourownreadingof the text.Isyour reading:
(circle one)
Preferred: youagree withthe encoded messagesconcerningrepresentation;you have decoded
thempositively,youenjoythe artist’sdepictionof themandthe producer’sintentions.
Negotiated:(e.g) Youdon’tfully agree withthe encoded representations,but have decodedthe text
positivelybecause youenjoy the style andcontent.
4. MediaStudiesExtDiploma: Audience TheoryTask
Stuart Hall’sReceptionTheory
Oppositional:You are completely opposedtothe encodedrepresentationsinthe video, youhave
decodedthemnegativelyandfindthemdamagingand/oryoufindthe style andcontent
inappropriate.
Receptiontheory: ConsiderWHYyouhave this reading.Isitdue to your age,gender,cultural or
social background?
I chose “preferred, Iagree withthe encodedmessagesconcerningrepresentation;youhave
decodedthempositively,youenjoythe artist’sdepictionof themandthe producer’s intentions”I
chose preferredbecause Ijustlovedthe wholeconceptof the MileyCyruswreakingball songand
musicvideo,Ifeel she wasgivingpositivemessagesandshe istryingtosell herself asanew artist
and bydoingthat she is beingtrue to herself asan artistsand she isshowingthe worldtobreak
throughon yourdemonsandlovingyourbodyis ok. I do feel the reasonof me choosing
“Preferred”isbecause of myage and social background.
