This document provides guidance for students answering exam questions that require evaluating media productions using theoretical concepts. It discusses rubrics for two questions: 1a) evaluating skills development across media productions over two years, and 1b) evaluating a single production using a theoretical concept. For 1a), it recommends structuring answers around pre-production, production, and post-production stages. For 1b), it breaks down five theoretical concepts - genre, narrative, representation, audience, and media language - and provides sample lessons on applying genre theory, including defining genres and subgenres, and discussing how genres evolve and change over time. The document aims to help students structure strong essay answers within the 30 minute exam timeframe.

1. OCR Media Studies
Conference 2012
G235: Critical Perspectives in
Media
Theoretical Evaluation of
Production: Q 1a and Q 1b

2. Victoria Allen
Head of Media Studies
at Thomas Rotherham
Sixth Form College
Examiner for A2
Media Studies

3. Rubric for 1a)
Evaluate skills development across media
production work over two years of ‘A’ Level
or
any other media production within the areas of:
• Digital Technology
• Creativity
• Research and Planning
• Post Production
• Use of Real Media Texts
Question can be based on one or two of the areas.

4. Rubric for 1b)
Evaluate one production piece (AS or A2 main
project or either of the A2 ancillaries) against
one of the below theoretical concepts:
• Genre
• Narrative
• Representation
• Audience
• Media Language
Answers can demonstrate how work supports
or challenges ideas within the areas.

5. Q1a) Structure...
It is possible to teach some essay structure for these
options if we structure a plan to the three elements of
the production process (which is what the whole
question is essentially asking the students to
evaluate).
- Pre-Production
- Production
- Post-Production

6. The three options that can be taught to
this easy structure are:
- Digital Technology
- Creativity
- Use of Real Media Texts
An ‘affect on/effects of’ structure can be
applied that takes into account the stages of
production to more difficult options:
- Research and Planning
- Post Production

7. Applying a simple structure:
Digital Technology
AS A2
Pre-Production

8. Applying a simple structure:
Digital Technology
AS A2
Production

9. Applying a simple structure:
Digital Technology
AS A2
Post-Production

10. Marks and Timing
•All that does seem a lot for the students to
write in 30 minutes.
•But to get the marks the students need
examples from their work.
•So – could limit the examples to 3 per
section (e.g. 3 digital technologies at AS at
pre-production stage and at A2 3
development examples)

11. •Try to always stick to PDQ format – this
helps for the two option questions...
•In terms of essay introductions for 1a), use a
three part structure
1. Answer or give point of view to question.
2. Outline briefly what they made across
both years.
3. Explain to the examiner how they are
going to structure their essay.
Marks and Timing

12. Q1a) Theory and Terminology...
It is possible to remind students of basic theory or
references to ideas and key terms that they can put into
their essays. (magazines = preferred meaning, star
persona, ideal self/partner)
It isn’t vital that there is theory but if it helps support
their answer then their application of it and
understanding can be credited.

13. Question 1b)
What we can do to help
the students structure
their essays?

14. • Introductions - could follow 3 part structure:
1. Define the concept
2. Outline the production they will evaluate.
3. Tell the examiner they are going to discuss (X
number of ideas about the concept in the essay).
• Again the students should try to follow a PDQ
format, but the emphasis is on examples (D) from
their work to support or challenge a theory/idea
about the concept.
Q1b) Guidance on Teaching

15. • Genre
• Generally, this should cover not just generic
conventions of the particular sub-genre of their
product but should include ideas about how genres
develop/evolve (in relation to their particular
product (e.g. Changing sub-genres of music video,
magazines) and how institutions use genre to target
audiences.
Q1b) Breakdown of the Options?

16. • Narrative
• Essentially, the basic and familiar narrative theories
can be applied to many video pieces the students
have undertaken.
• This is a harder one to apply to print products but
can be done in terms of looking a narratives behind
the ideologies that are apparent within the text.
• Ideas about juxtaposition of elements are useful in
helping to explain how design work and layout in
print products creates a logical ‘story’ for the
reader.
Q1b) Breakdown of the Options?

17. • Representation
• There are numerous theories about representation
of gender, age, ethnicity, regional identity etc.
which may have already been covered at AS.
• Students may evaluate how their product has
mediated certain representations about social
groups/artists/characters.
• They can also evaluate how certain subcultures
have been represented within the product.
Q1b) Breakdown of the Options?

18. • Audience
• Again, there are numerous ways to tackle this and
an idea about each allows the students to fully show
they understand the concept.
• How the audience is represented, how the product
can be applied to audience
effects/reception/pleasures theories, how the
product is a reflection of ideas about changing
audience consumption habits, how the audience for
the text was constructed and researched.
Q1b) Breakdown of the Options?

19. • Media Language
• This is all about the specific medium and how the
language of the medium has been used to create
meaning for the audience. The meanings generally are a
synoptic round up of other options covered (genre,
narrative/stories, representations).
• As part of this it is important to include terminology
about how signs work in the media.
• Essentially, however, this is one where a generic
approach is more difficult and the language of the
medium needs careful revision to encourage students to
textually analyse their own essay against medium
specific theory (e.g. Goodwin and music videos).
Q1b) Breakdown of the Options?

20. G235: Critical
Perspectives in Media
Theoretical Evaluation
of Production
1b) Genre
Sample Basic Lesson Structure

21. Definition
• ‘Genre’ is a critical tool that helps us
study texts and audience responses to texts
by dividing them into categories based on
common elements.
• Daniel Chandler (2001) details that the
word genre comes from the word for 'kind'
or 'class'. The term is widely used in
rhetoric, literary theory, media theory to
refer to a “distinctive type of ‘text’”.

22. • All genres have sub genres (genre
within a genre).
• This means that they are divided up
into more specific categories. Barry
Keith Grant (1995) suggests that this
allows audiences to identify them
specifically by their familiar and
what become recognisable
characteristics.

23. Task –Chandler’s and Grant’s
theories.
• You have 5 minutes to write down how the
production you are writing about for Q1b)
fits into a specific genre/sub-genre/hybrid
genre.
• Back this up with at least 5 specific
elements/examples from this production
that show how you have replicated genre
conventions.
• Must be specific – headlines, photogaphs,
fonts, editing techniques.

24. Steve Neale
'genres are instances of repetition and difference' (Neale 1980)
'difference is absolutely essential to the economy of genre' (Neale1980): mere repetition would not attract
an audience.
David Buckingham
'genre is not... simply "given" by the culture: rather, it is in a constant process of negotiation and change'
(Buckingham 1993)
Nicholas Abercrombie
'the boundaries between genres are shifting and becoming more permeable' (Abercrombie 1996)
Andrew Tudor
'a genre... defines a moral and social world' (Tudor 1974)

25. Jason Mittell (2001) argues that
industries use genre to sell products
to audiences. Media producers use
familiar codes and conventions that
very often make references to their
audience knowledge of society,
other texts.

26. Task – Jason Mittel’s theory.
• You have 5 minutes to write down how you
used real media products in your chosen
industry to help you construct your
product. How, for example, does the local
newspaper provide familiar expectations?
• Back this up with at least 5 specific
elements/examples from this industry that
show how you have replicated/challenged
genre conventions.
• Finally, write a sentence about how these
choices would make sure your product
appealed to your demographic.

27. • Genre also allows audiences to make choices
about what products they want to consume
through acceptance in order to fulfil a
particular pleasure.
• Theorist Rick Altman (1999) argues that genre
offers audiences ‘a set of pleasures’.
• This can also be linked to Denis McQuail’s
(1972) theory on ‘uses and gratifications’ of
media texts for audiences.
• Basically, the genre of your text will have
provided your demographic/subculture with
some satisfaction upon their consumption.

28. Task – Rick Altman’s and Denis
McQuail’s theories.
• You have 5 minutes to write down:
• Altman’s three pleasures. Decide which
one might relate to your product and write
down in detail 5 examples from your
product which offer this for your audience.
• McQuail’s four uses and gratifications.
Decide which ones might relate to your
product and write down in detail 5
examples from your product which offer
this for your audience

29. Genres are not fixed. They constantly change
and evolve over time – your coursework
productions, as we have discussed, are
postmodern pieces and/or adapt to changes to
advances in technology.
Christian Metz (1974) argued that genres go
through a typical cycle of changes during their
lifetime.
David Buckingham (1993) argues that 'genre is
not... Simply "given" by the culture: rather, it is in
a constant process of negotiation and change’.
Steve Neale (1995) “genres are processes of
systemisation” – they change over time.

30. Task – ‘Evolving’ genre
theories.
• You have 5 minutes to write down:
• How your product is part of a genre that
has changed over time.
• Give 3 examples of texts that were part of
‘experimental’ or ‘classic’ ideas of
your product within the genre and 5
examples that show your text as a
‘classic’ or as an ‘evolving’ piece.

31. Certain genres are also said to have
certain themes.
David Bordwell (1989) notes, 'any
theme may appear in any genre‘.

32. Task – genre themes.
• You have 5 minutes to write down:
• 5 themes that appear within your product
that are part of your genre.
• Back each one up with examples from
your work.

33. Plenary
• Write down 3 genre theorists (not
including Chandler or Grant) that you have
learnt today and what they have said.
• Write down 2 pieces of medium specific
theory and relate it to your sub genre.

34. Homework
“Analyse one of your coursework
productions in relation to genre”.