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1. *Evaluation Question 1 - In what
ways does your media product
use, develop or challenge
forms and conventions of real
media products?Christopher Mattison

2. Within this evaluation question I will be looking at my documentary of how gaming affects education and
an existing documentary. I will also be looking at how my media products use, develop or challenge forms
and conventions of real media products. As well as the documentary, I will also be looking at the ancillary
products of radio advert and magazine double page spread which are used to promote the documentary
and draw people in. Along with comparing the documentary to an existing documentary I will also be
comparing the radio advert and double paged spread to existing products and looking at the correlations of
codes or perhaps codes we haven’t followed.
The documentary I will be comparing mine to is :
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p04t0h2b/stacey-dooley-investigates-young-sex-for-sale-in-japan

3. *

4. *

5. *Title screen is one code and convention of almost all documentaries. We have
conformed to this convention by also having a title screen. Our title screen includes
a pac-man eating through the title screen, pac-man is a famous game and thus shows
what the documentary is about before It’s even started. This title screen is also
effect due to the background footage of the shop Game where a lot of teenagers
perhaps buy their games. This convention is also done by Stacy Dooleys documentary,
we were inspired by this title screen however decided to develop it due to it seeming
boring and not as effective, there were no images or background footage to show
what the rest of the documentary was about.

6. *

7. *Facts and statistics on screen are used to encode a point of view or a preferred reading that the
media (myself) has. We adhered to the conventions of this so that we could do just that, encode
our preferred reading easily. One statistic says “2/3 teenagers sprint in front of a computer
screen instead of doing school work”. This statistic is used to encode the idea that gaming does
in fact affect education. By us including facts it makes the audience side with us since we have
factual information to prove that gaming does effect education. In the back ground there is
game play which correlates with what we are saying. The Stacy Dooley documentary also
conforms to the codes and conventions of facts on screen. Their preferred message they are
trying to encode is that child pornography or young girls becoming hostesses is wrong and should
never happen. This is encoded by including facts such as “until 2014 child pornography was legal
in Japan”, this is used to shock the audience and straight away get the audience engaged to find
out more and about why on earth that was allowed until recently.

8. *
Presenter also voice over

9. *I have adhered to the convention of different settings and locations. In my documentary we
went to many different locations which are related to what we were speaking about. We
travelled to the Shop Gaming and CEX which are both shops where you can play games.
Likewise, in the Stacy Dooley documentary they visited many different places such as a
escort restaurant where at the time they were speaking about it. Therefore, we followed
the codes and conventions of recording at settings about the topic of the documentary.

10. *

11. *Within my documentary, the presenter in certain shots is looking directly at
the camera and speaking while trying to encode a message such as that
gaming effects education. The presenter has constant direct address to
entice the audience and make the audience feel like he is speaking to them
which makes the audience believe what he is saying a little more, thus
encoding our message about gaming and education. Likewise, in the Stacy
Dooley documentary she also has direct address when speaking to the
camera, both presenters have their normal day clothes, making the
audience feel relaxed and comfortable in passively taking in the
information. Our documentary and Stacy Dooley’s encoded the Two Step
flow theory since the presenter is seen as an opinion leader and is trying to
encode a certain message towards the audience.

12. *

13. *My media product when using vox-pop’s conforms to the forms and conventions of a documentary. This
is because I do in fact include vox-pops which are usually almost always used in documentaries. This is
backed up from the documentary I am comparing my product to which is also following conventions of
vox pops. In my vox-pops the teenagers are wearing their own clothes, we have not manipulated what
they are wearing. This has been done so they are seen to be honest, not only this but because the
clothes what they are wearing to college connote the fact that they are teenagers and look quite
‘youthy’. My vox-pops perhaps create moral panic. Moral Panic is a theory which was perhaps included
within my documentary. We have only included young people within the vox-pops. One of the young
people says “In GCSES I played games rather than revising”. This could create moral panic that
students nowadays do not care about education and are just interested in gaming. Older people due to
moral panic and exaggeration may create some sort of attitude that because of students playing
games, future jobs are at risk. They may also say that students lack social skills which also may put
jobs at risk – this all links to new articles and prior media who also create this moral panic. It could be
argued and is the case that gaming has now moved on from consoles at home to portable devices and
mobiles further proving this moral panic. The Stacy Dooley documentary also conforms to this moral
panic due to the fact that the vox-pop is speaking about the girls who are young and not in education
but are becoming hostesses, the moral panic which is created perhaps is that young hotesses are
allowed in Japan, maybe this could happen in every country.

14. *

15. *My media product uses codes and conventions regarding professional interviews. Almost all
documentaries have some sort of professional interview to help prove an encoded message which
in our case is that gaming affects education. The professional interview is carried out in the
professionals setting. For example, we carried out the professional interview on Jo in a classroom
since he is a teacher, recording him in his ‘natural habitat’ connotes the fact that he is going to
be comfortable thus being honest towards the questions we ask. As of this, the audience can
believe in him and trust him. The background also makes the audience feel like they can trust Joe
due to the fact that gaming is playing in the back ground, this is used to encode the view that Joe
knows that he is on about and is an expert in gaming. Compared to the Stacy Dooley
documentary, they also use background in professional interviews to make the audience believe in
their opinions. They record the professional male in his office, this makes the audience feel they
can trust him due to his mis-en-scene and background such as the suit which connotes that he is
clever and full of knowledge along with professional. I implemented/conformed to the Two Step
Flow Theory, we had two opinion leaders which were Joe and Kathryn. Joe put the point across
that gaming does effect education compared to Kathryn disagreeing which also supports the
binary opposites theory. Joe and Kathryn are seen as leaders of power due to being teachers but
also both contradict each other. We support the two step flow theory due to the presenter siding
with one o the opinion leaders. This is also followed and conformed with in the Stacy Dooley
documentary, both professionals are seen as opinion leaders whilst the women is disagreeing with
it being legal to become a hostess in Japan and the man disagreeing (binary opposites)

16. *

17. *My media product uses codes and conventions of Actuality Footage. Almost all documentaries have
some sort of actuality footage to help prove a point or to show something you are speaking about at
the time. My actuality footage was carried out throughout the college. For example, we recorded at
the end of break time where students were walking out of the canteen, this was done so we could put
it over our voice over where the presenter was stating the effects on Students. As of this, the
audience visually will be able to see what kind of people gaming is affecting. IT will also make the
audience feel that they can believe the opinion leader since they are at the college with the so called
students who will be affected by gaming potentially. Compared to the Stacy Dooley documentary who
also use Actuality Footage, they use this to set the scene of where Stacy is at. They record the
background footage of shops at night with people walking past, this makes the audience feel they can
trust the opinion leader due to the mis-en-scene and background since Stacy is actually there and is
witnessing the affects of child hotesses for herself. I implemented/conformed to the Two Step Flow
Theory, we had an opinion leader of the presenter who was putting the opinion across of teenagers
being affected by gaming.

18. *We tried to follow the codes and convention of Archival footage.
However, when looking at the Stacy Dooley documentary we found
that she does not include Archival footage, thus it can be said that,
although we tried to follow the style of the documentary we
developed and challenged it also. An example of Archival footage we
included was myself playing games while the presenter speaks over it,
this was done so that the audience always have something to watch
and they’re not bored by the presenter. Also it is used to sort of ‘back
up’ what the presenter is saying such as If the presenter is speaking
about how teenagers are constantly playing games and there is
archival footage of a teenager such as myself playing games it backs
up that idea and thus the message is encoded effectively.
*

19. *

21. *
*A large image is used to show what the article is about, it
usually has direct address to engage the audience. We decided
to adhered to the code and convention of a large image due to it
being done in a variety of double page spread. A large image is
used to show what the documentary is about and as you can see
from ours we have displayed the presenter holding up a
game/gaming equipment. The encoded message from this was
the fact that gaming is huge throughout society.

22. *
*A stand first is a little introduction before then article to say
what it is going to be about, it would be used to entice people
into reading the article or watching the documentary. We
adhered to the codes and conventions of a stand first for the
reasons above, we wanted people to have a little introduction
about what it is going to be able which was effective in making
people want to read it.

23. *
*A drop cap is used to show the audience where to start reading,
it draws attention and is much larger than the rest of the
article. We used this convention since many magazines use this
convention and I do believe that is effective.

24. *
*The headline draws initial attention to the article and double
page spread along with the documentary in itself. It makes the
audience want to read more since it’s so eye catching. We
decided to use this convention by having our headline as “Will
Lewis Figure out if gaming is affecting the lives of teenagers?”
this is used since it’s quite catchy and people will want to read
on or watch the documentary to also find out.

25. *
*There is almost always some sort of colour scheme
throughout double page spreads. We adhered to that code
and convention and decided on Blue since it connotes youth
and masculinity. Due to gaming being targeted for the most
part males this is an effective colour. The blue colour
scheme is found throughout, in the background, headline,
text, phone etc.

26. *

27. *
*In my radio advert there is 30 seconds long, the codes and
conventions of radio adverts is 30/60seconds, thus I have
adhered to this codes and convention. We followed this code
and convention by making sure to only record around 30 seconds
of voice, due to the fact that radio adverts should be 30 seconds
or 60seconds, we decided that it would be more effective if we
made our radio advert 30seconds long.

28. *
*Radio adverts usually always contain copyrighted free music
which goes throughout most of the radio advert. This is used so
that the radio advert isn't boring and monotone listening to
someone speak constantly. The music adds 'depth' to attract the
audience. Music included in the radio advert usually links to
whatever the radio advert is trying to sell. We decided to
adhere to this code and convention by also implementing music
in the background, this is done often in radio adverts thus we
followed it.

29. *
*The presenter of the radio advert is usually up beat and lively to
attract the audience. If they are dim and gloomy in the way
they speak then the audience will feel that the product they are
trying to sell is boring, this is especially the case when the
advert is selling a film or documentary. We adhered to this code
and convention by making sure that the presenter was up beat
so that they engaged the audience, most radio adverts have this
unless it a serious radio advert.

30. *
*The presenter of the radio advert usually has a clear voice
without a strong accent. This is the case so that people all
around the UK (or even globally) can understand what the
presenter is actually saying in the radio advert. We adhered to
this code and convention by making sure the presenter spoke
clearly without slang, this is to make sure that people around
the country are able to understand, this is always done in other
radio adverts.

31. *
*Radio adverts will always include important dates. Whether that
be when the product is out or when the documentary is on TV.
These dates will include Time, Channel and of course the Date.
This is done so that the audience actually know when the
product is out or when they can go and watch it on TV - if this
isn't done sales or views will be at a minimal. We made sure to
the adhere to this code and convention by making sure we
included the key date of Monday along with the time, most
radio adverts if trying to ‘sell’ something on a certain date will
use this convention.

32. *
*The radio advert usually contains slogans which appear in the
products or link to the products. These are used to engage the
audience and make the product memorable. If the slogan is
memorable and something the audience can use it real life, it
attracts more audience into wanting to buy or watch the
product. However, we didn’t manage to include a slogan, this is
simply because we didn’t have much time left but also we felt
that due to the nature of our target audience they wouldn’t
appreciate a slogan as much as younger people would do.

33. *
*In conclusion, I do believe that we followed as many codes and
conventions as we could and rarely ever challenged or didn’t
use a convention. This was simply so that our documentary
would represent a ‘typical’ documentary, if we didn’t include
many codes and conventions then perhaps it wouldn’t look as
good as it does or people wouldn’t be able to recognise it as a
documentary.