l

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 firstshot we see isher directlysigninginto
the camera withan extreme close uptoface
and we see hercrying whichtellsusit’sgoing
to be an emotional song, whilesingingina
superlightenareaseeingareflectionof her
eyes. Andthe shotscut alwaystomore wide
shotsof the herin the settingandthenback to
extreme close ups.Mostof the close upsare
reallylongstayingthe same shotforlike 30
secondsmeaningse reallywantstogettheses
lyricsand message out.
Sound (non diegetic; consider lyrical
content/musical style)
We don’thearthe actual destructionof the
wallsbutonlyhearingMileyvoice singoverit
and the beatsmatchingwiththe impactswith
the ball or hammer.The lyricsthemselves
represents afew subjects,the meaningof the
lyrics
Editing
We don’tsee a heavyuse of editinginthis
musicvideojustquickcutswhenthe chorus
comeson as itit more fast pacedcomparedto
the otherlyricswhensingingbesidesthatwe
see a lotstill shotsof Mileywithsinging.We
alsosee a lot unique shots showingusthe
backgroundbeingdestroyedandherjust
walkingmaybe tellingusthat’sshe’sbreaking
downherpast and startedsomethingnew
doingwhatshe’swants.
Mise en scene
We see a lotinthe settingwithbackground
beingveryplainwithapure white background
onlyfocusingourattentiontoheronlyand we
see these pure white backgroundswhenshe’s
singingdirectlytowardsusinclose upshots.
Thenwe seeingaverymale associated
backgroundwithdull greywallsanda giant
wreckingball.The locationisina very
masculine areainside of awarehouse andwe
see a lotof destructionwiththe ball and
sledgehammer.The sledgehammerisone of
the onlykeypropswe see with Miley holdingit
mostof the time and usingitto breakswalls
downagaina very masculine thingtodo.Also
can be interoperatedwithbreakingherwalls
downmetaphoricallyhow she’sgrowingupand
doingwhatshe wantsto do.

2. 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?
I thinkdifferentpeople especiallywithage will identifythisvideodifferently.Isee all the
messagesthe videogivesasinthat the videotellsyouraboutMileyherself andhow she started.
To Mileythissongwas abouther breakup andher frustrationwithitandthe viewspeople see
her.sowe see visuallyherwreckdown oldwallsmaybe sayingthat she’s goingtobe someone
differentthanbefore andhow she’sdone withthisandgoingtoexpresswhatshe thinks.She
herself inthe videoputsalotof emotionbehindas she criesinthe videosandcertainshotssuch
as the extreme close upindicatesthatthisis serious toher.Sowe lyricallyobviousmeaning
behinditinrelationshiptroublesinidentityand she’snotholdinganyfeelingback.Me personally
I do see all of those meaningbehindthe music videoandthinkthe songisnotbad but the music
videoshowsotherwise.We dosee a lot of weirdindicationsof sexual themesinit.Firstof all she’s
practically nude inthe videoandincertainscenes she’s isandthisdoesn’treallyshow a women
pride aroundthe worldthat she wanted.The musicispopularwithlittle girlsandisnotreally
appropriate fortheme aswell she orallypleasures herself withasledge hammerbylickingitand
the videoreallyfocussesonthat.The hammeritself showsphallicimageryasit looksoddin
general asit lookslike apenisandherlickingadustysledge hammer represents otherwise.This
leavesacertainrepresentation inapositive way aswell lasanegative way,some peoplepeople
don’tsee these signsandsome people do.These signsaren’tobvioustothe rightaudience butI
thinkthe musicmainlytellsyouhermessage andthe videoalsoshowsthatbutalsoshowsother
readings.IthinkthisisnegotiatedIdon’tfullyagree withsome representations butcertainlyhas
positive readingsinthe content.
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.
Oppositional:You are completely opposedtothe encodedrepresentationsinthe video, youhave
decodedthemnegativelyandfindthemdamagingand/oryoufindthe style andcontent
inappropriate.

3. MediaStudiesExtDiploma:Audience TheoryTask
Stuart Hall’sReceptionTheory
Receptiontheory: ConsiderWHYyouhave this reading.Isitdue to your age,gender,cultural or
social background?
I thinkitbecause of age andthe time youcome fromand what yoursurroundingswere.Ithink
because I’molderandI see certainimageriesmyreadingisdifferent.ButIguarantee ayounggirls
readingtothiswill be differentandshe mightsee some of the positive messagesshe hassaid.I
thinkthe social backgroundof where youcame from andespeciallyage reallygivesyoucertain
readings. Olderwomenwill seethe female sexuallyrepresentationinthe videoandalsoolder
males.Certainmise enscene will referredtoitsuchas the masculinitywhenwalkinginworker
bootsand the brightred lipstickinaclearbackgroundmakinghermore an attractive tomales.
Task 3
Nowwrite 350-500 words,explainingthe representations inthe video,andwhyyouhave eithera
preferred,negotiatedoroppositional readingof the text.
Withall the encodedrepresentationIexplainedIthinkthatMileyCyrus’sWrecking Ball isnegotiated
as I don’tfullyagree withcertainrepresentationsshowninthe musicvideosuchasheroutfitand
style toclothingmakingherself anattractive persontomalesandwe see more unusual indicationto
sexual themeswiththe propsusedlike the sledge hammer.Hercostume isbeingtightandbarley
coveringherwhole bodyandalsowearingaverymale dominate productwithworkerboots.All of
thisshowthe male gaze theorywhere we see visuallyamasculine pointof viewof awomen
presentingherselfinmale orientedobjectlike the workerbootsandsledgehammer. Withthisgaze
we see phallicimageryinthe musicvideoitselfbutlyricallyIthinkthe songisfine butIdo alsosee
the positive inthe musicvideowithstyleandcontent.There isone shotwhere she wassinging
directlyintothe cameralongerthanany othershotin the fastpaced musicvideo,thisshowsthat
she isseriousandwant herpointacross inthat momentwiththe lyricsmakingitmore personal and
for the audience andherwiththatextreme close up.Isee the messagesthatthe vide bringslike
breakingdownyouroldwall andrebuildingwhichispositive andsuitableforhertargetaudience
whichare little girl butalsoteenagers.There are more inappropriatescenes inthe videowhichdoes
damage herprofile andvideoalittle withnegative actionlikebeingnude onawreckingball but
leavingthe male workerbootsandherbeingina verygreyand male dominate setting.Thisalso
showthat she’s anindependentpowerfulwomendoingwhatshe wantsandbreakingherwalls
downmaybe that whyshe carryinga sledgehammertoshow that she isthe one in control.There is
differentsignswe see inthismusicwithmixesof negativeandpositiveinthe mise enscene.But
overall Ido thinkthe musicvideoisnegotiatedasIdo not fullyagree withthe encoded
representationshownbutdosee the positivityinthe style andcontent.

4. MediaStudiesExtDiploma:Audience TheoryTask
Stuart Hall’sReceptionTheory
Task 4. Swap placeswiththe personnexttoyouand have themmark yourresponse usingctrl altM/
give a numerical markandalso checkspelling,grammarandpunctuation!