2. Definition/what it does – A way of categorising a media text
according to its form, style and content.
Why is it important? – This categorisation is useful for producers
because they need to engage their target audiences in order to
be successful (can develop a genre’s conventions) and audiences
because they need to be interested and engaged in the genre so
that they go and watch the film to get pleasure (who can develop
their expectations of the genre).
Genre theory – we create a short cut in how we are to describe
films. It is the variation of the conventions. Genre can change
over time as different social groups come about.
Theorists – Denis McQuail suggested that genre helps the target
audience to capitalize the success of previous films because
audiences ma choose to see a film based on the genre. Christine
Glendhill says that ‘differences between genres means that
difference audiences could be identified and catered to which
makes it easier to soothe production.
3. Definition/what it does – The way in which a story, or
sequence of events, is put together within a text. It helps
to visually explain a story.
Why is it important? – it allows media texts to present
versions of the world through the ‘packaging’ of events
and characters into stories. Such narratives can be
extended and developed, as in film dramas or
documentary programmes where the whole ‘story’ is told.
Propp’s theory – stories and fairytales share the same
internal structure where characters and actions can be
grouped into 8 character roles and 31 functions. He finds 8
character types including: the villain, hero, donor, helper,
princess, father, dispatcher and the false hero.
Equilibrium theory – says that all stories are about the
fight to return to normality.
4. Definition/what it does – the way in which the
media ‘re-presents’ the world around us in the
form of signs and codes for audiences to read.
Why is it important? – it demonstrates how
identities are represented within the text and
also how they are constructed in the processes
of production.
Semiotics (Ferdinand De Sessure) – studied how
language created meaning. He found that
language does not reflect reality and that the
meaning is constructed.
Male Gaze (Laura Mulvey) – argued female
characters were seen as objects for male
characters sexual desires.
5. Definition – the addressees of a media text, or the people
who are intended to read or watch or play or listen to it.
Why is it important?/what they do –It is important to have
an audience because if not then the process of creating a
media text will unable to go further. They are the ones
watching, reading, playing and buying the text, therefore
if there is no audience then the producers will be unable
to make any money or get their message across.
The effects model – the consumption of media texts has
an effect or influence on the audience. This effect is
negative as audiences are passive and powerless to
prevent the influence. The power lies with the message of
the text.
The hypodermic model – the messages in media text are
injected into the audience by powerful, syringe-like
media. The audience is powerless to resist. Therefore, the
media works like a drug, the audience is addicted.
6. Definition/what it does – media conventions,
formats, symbols and narrative structures which
prompt the audience to meaning.
Why is it important? – they are used to
understand a text by using a critical framework.
They also help to analyse media texts.
Semiotics – how meaning is constructed through
language and codes
Ferdinand de Saussure – media texts can have
connotations and denotations suggesting that
there are two levels of meaning in an object
within a media text. The sign or symbol we see
does not make sense without the actual object
and the meaning it creates.
