Year 12 Media research task planning

Year 12 Media – Assessed Task
Title: Research for A2
Coursework
Date Due: 27th May
Instructions: To complete
research into movie trailers
ready for you A2 coursework.
Please add more slides where
needed.

Success Criteria:
KEY CONCEPTS:
Meaning
Institution
Genre
Representation
Audience
Ideology
Narrative

A2 Media Studies
Coursework
Research and Planning
Tia Cooper

M.I.G.R.A.I.N - meaning
What is meaning?
Meaning is how different texts can be read or interpreted and how producers want their pieces to be conveyed to a
specific audience. Directors want to create a sense of verisimilitude so that audiences can recognize and understand
the meaning being created. They create a reality so that the audience connect and feel engaged with the film, One
of the ways Media Language works is to convey meaning through signs and symbols suggested by the way a scene is
set up and filmed. with the use of technical and symbolic codes.
Symbolic codes are visual codes used to create meaning. They are usually shown through the Mise-En-Scene, these
are used to create symbolic codes or meaning to the audience. This can be done through setting, props, costume,
makeup or movement.
Technical codes are the key elements that help you understand how meaning is created in media texts with Camera
shots, Angles, movement, and editing techniques
This is relevant to media texts as different types of audiences can interpret different types of media texts, this is
linked to Stuart hall’s reception theory. Stuart hall’s reception theory suggests that there are 3 different ways
audiences can read text:
Preferred Reading – you see what the director intended you to see. You understand the message being portrayed.
Negotiated Reading – you understand the preferred message, but you can also see another side to the message.
Oppositional Reading – You oppose the original message and see it for something else.

Stuart Hall’s reception theory example:
For example, if we look at this McDonald's advert:
The preferred reading of this advert would be that the
audience finds this burger to look appetising and
therefore would want to go buy the burger as the
advertisement was intended for. This is what the
producers would want since they’re attracting likeable
costumers.
The negotiated reading would be that someone finds
this McDonald's burger to look appealing but the ‘big
mac’ might put them off if they’re not into larger meals.
Therefore they may like McDonalds burgers but not
particularly this one so it wouldn’t quite be what the
producer was looking to achieve.
The oppositional reading would be if someone dislikes
McDonalds because they may find fast food unhealthy
therefore despising this McDonalds advert as it’s
promoting fast food content. This would be the opposite
of what the producers were trying to achieve.

Symbolic codes 1
What is Mise-en-scene?
Mise en scene is a symbolic term that refers to what’s put in the scene. It refers to the overall effect of lighting, make up, costume, props and colour
within the frame. Mise-en-scene is used purposefully throughout films to contribute to the narrative. Identify a scene in the film you’re studying in
which you think mise-en-scene makes a contribution to the narrative. Play the scene through several times, noting how the use of lighting, make up,
costume, props and colour contributes to the narrative or engages audiences.
Mise en scene falls under a number of categories:
Setting is the time and place of the narrative. When discussing setting, you can describe the
setting of the whole story or just a specific scene. A setting can be as big as the outback or
space, or as small as a specific room. Setting can even be a created atmosphere or frame of
mind. For example, we can clearly see this is a horror movie setting from the dark lighting,
worn down and creepy props. The audience can also identify that the area looks like a shed or
abandoned hospital which are normally associated with horror. We can immediately identify
this setting with it’s genre.
Props are used to show what the actor or character is doing more clearly. It can make a scene
feel more authentic or help actors play their role more adequately. Put simply: they're a vital
part of film, TV, and theatre. For example, the audience can clearly see that this is set in an
office, as we can see computers, desks, piles of paper and even the book shelf in the
background. These specific props are normally associated with an Office or school setting.
These are important as they help identify where the show/movie is set and makes the scene
look more realistic to the audience.
Costumes are one of many tools the director has to tell the story. Costumes communicate the
details of a character's personality to the audience, and help actors transform into new and
believable people on screen. For example, we can clearly see from the costumes that they are
wearing, that this show is set in the medieval times. We can also see the woman and man are
in high positions of power since we can clearly see the woman is wearing a queen’s costume
with a crown. The man could be some sort of knight since we can see he’s wearing armour.
Costumes are important because it tells use more about the character and their role in the
show.

Symbolic codes 2
Body language is the way the character acts, moves or is positioned in the film or towards the
audience. Things to consider when looking for body language are the characters movement
whether it’s their whole body or just a part of the body like a hand, the levels they are using
whether they are crouching or standing tall and proud and finally and if any prop is included
because the reason they are in a position could be due a particular prop involved. Body
language helps the audience identify what the character is meant to be representing. For
example, we can see in this batman scene that he stands tall and proud with his arms either
side to show he’s confident and proud.
Facial expressions are the emotions the character portrays in the film or to the audience. The
use of emotive language can be effective when it comes to finding out how each character is
feeling. It could also tell a bit about the character personal life even if the character
itself doesn't show or tell the audience about it. For example, we can tell this man on the big
screen is worried or upset by something since he’s pulling a scared face with tears in his eyes.
The emotions on a characters face tells the audience how the character is feeling at that
current moment or scene.
Some more examples:

Symbolic codes 3 Colour Symbol Connotation
Red
The colour red links to love or seduction,
normally used to make objects or people
stand out. However, it can also link to
violence, blood and anger with examples like
fire or blood.
Black
The colour black can be linked with power,
evil or mystery. Normally used to symbolize
the villainous characters, black can also be
linked to the unknown, which is mainly used
in horror movies.
White
White can be used to symbolize light,
goodness innocence and purity. This can be
used to show the innocent characters or a
peaceful beginning.
Green
Green is normally used to connote the colour
of nature, it can also symbolize growth,
harmony and fertility. It can also be linked to
luck and money, especially in places like
Ireland.
Yellow
The colour yellow is normally linked with
feelings such as joy. It can also symbolize
happiness and energy or even warmth. With
examples like fire and/or the sun.
Blue
Blue is commonly linked with the colour
of the sky or the sea. It can also symbolize
trust, faith, honesty and confidence. However
it can also link to feelings like sadness.
Gold
The colour gold is strongly linked to wealth
and luxury but can also be linked to love,
compassion, courage, magic and wisdom.
Many examples can be seen such as on
jewelry and such.
What is Colour symbolism?
Colour symbolism is used all throughout
media; TV shows, movies, even
advertisements and posters. Media
producers use colour to specifically
connect connotations to specific scenes,
characters or objects. Red, for instance,
is typically seen as a colour of passion,
danger, romance, or violence. Green is
connected with nature or sickness, blue
with calm or depression. Yellow is warm
and inviting or a warning. Purple is seen
to be connected with royalty or other-
wordly.
Colour can also be used to help identify
the genre. Normally Horror movies use
darker colours to create the sense of the
unknown. Action movies may use high
contrasting colours like red and blue to
create that dramatic effect.

Technical codes 1
Camera shots and Angles
Different types of Camera shots and angles can also create meaning, Camera shots and
angles can be used to portray the characters in a different light. Below I’ve listed some
examples..
Extreme long shot
It normally shows an exterior, like the outside of a building, or a landscape,
and is often used to show scenes of thrilling action for example in a war film
or disaster movie.
Long Shot
This shot shows a 'life' size person, so the audience can approximate how tall
or big the character would be in real life.
Medium shot
Shows a movie character from the knees/waist up and is normally used for
dialogue scenes, or to show some detail of the scene.
Close up
This shot zooms in and focuses on a particular detail, it could either be a
facial expressions or words written on a paper. Usually to highlight the
importance of small details.
Extreme close up
An extreme version of the close up, generally zooming in/magnifying beyond
what the human eye see. An extreme close-up of a face, for instance, would
show only the mouth or eyes, with no background detail whatsoever.
High angle
Not so extreme as a bird's eye view. The camera is elevated above the action
to give a general overview. High angles make the object photographed seem
smaller or weaker.
Example photos

Technical codes 2
Eye Level
A fairly neutral shot, the camera is positioned as though it is a human
actually is observing a scene, so that the actors' heads are on a level with
the focus point.
Low angle
These increase height, especially for shorter actors and give a sense of
speeded motion. Low angles help give a sense of confusion to a viewer,
of powerlessness within the action of a scene.
Canted angle
Sometimes the camera is tilted to suggest imbalance, transition and
instability which is very popular in horror movies. This technique is used
to suggest POINT-OF-View shots
Camera movement
A director may choose to move action along by telling the story as a series of
cuts, going from one shot to another, or they may decide to move the
camera with the action.
Camera angle
The relationship between the camera and the object being photographed
gives emotional information to an audience, and displays their judgment
about the character or object in shot.
Panning
A movement which scans a scene horizontally. The camera is placed on a
tripod, which acts as a stationary axis point as the camera is turned.
Example photos

Technical codes 3
Tilting
A movement which also scans a scene but vertically, very similar to a pan.
Dolly shots
Sometimes called trucking or tracking shots. The camera is placed on a
moving vehicle and moves alongside the action, generally following a moving
figure or object.
Over the shoulder shot
This positions the camera behind one figure, revealing the other figure, and
part of the first figure's back, head and shoulder.
Hand held shot
Hand held cameras create a certain kind of gritty realism, and they can make
the audience feel as though they are part of a scene
Crane shot
A crane or a jib, is a large, heavy piece of equipment, but is a useful way of
moving a camera, it can move up, down, left, right, swooping in on action or
moving diagonally out of it.
Ariel/drone shot
This is often used at the beginning of a film, in order to establish setting and
movement. It is taken from directly above.
Example photos

Technical codes 4
Establishing shot
An initial long shot that establishes the location and setting and that shows
the viewer where the action will be taking place.
POV
A point of view by being positioned between a shot of what a character is
looking at, and the reaction shot showing a characters' reaction.
Cut in
shows some part of a subject's reaction, or looking towards something, or an
inserted POV, this is usually a quick edit.
Lead room
The distance between the subject and the edge of the frame towards which
the subject is moving.
Head room
The distance between the top of a subject's head and the upper edge of the
frame.
Wide angle shot
Shot showing the entire subject and the environment. head and feet
Rule of thirds
Subject is placed on imaginary lines that divide the shots into thirds, placing
subject matter on or near intersecting points.
Example photos

Technical codes 5
Editing techniques
Editing is also important when it comes to meaning. Editing in films create clean cut continuity, through different shots, angles and transitions
to make them as seamless as possible. Different types of shots create different ideas for each scene; they can make the tension rise, looking at
how time can be stretched or condensed to make the scene slower or faster. Cuts such as dissolves wipes or fades to show how much time has
been passed.
Examples:
Match on Action
A cut between two shots featuring a similar visual action, A rule
in continuity editing, which dictates that if a cut occurs while a
character is in the midst of an action, the subsequent shot must
begin so that audiences see the completion of that action.
Shot reverse shot
One character is shown looking at another character, and then
the other character is shown looking back at the first character.
Since the characters are shown facing in opposite directions, the
viewer assumes that they are looking at each other
180 degree rule
central convention of continuity editing that restricts possible
camera setups to the 180-degree area on one side of an
imaginary line drawn between the characters or figures of a
scene.
Jump cuts
an edit that interrupts a particular action and intentionally or
unintentionally creates discontinuities in spatial or temporal
development of shots
Flash backs
a sequence that follows images set in the present
with images set in the past.
Continuous shot
When the camera does not cut/break and follows a
continuous piece of action

Technical codes 6
Sound and lighting
Sound can have a significant effect on the scene and how its portrayed, with the 6 different types of sound that can be played during a
film or production. Diegetic sound, which is sound you can see the source of, and non-Diegetic sound which you can't see the source
of, mainly background music. Soundtracks are the use of popular music or music that artists sing. A score is used for instrumental
music, and a sound bridge is the same sound crossing over two different scenes. A Dialogue is a conversation that you can see
happening on screen with the characters.
Lighting is one of the most important tools a videographer can use
to tell a story or create a mood. Whether you’re creating corporate
training videos or edgy art house films, it’s important to explore the
ins and outs of high-key and low-key lighting so you can use them to
effectively communicate ideas.
A key light is the main source of light in a video or photo. High-key
lighting results in brightly lit subjects with more fill light and softer
shadows. Fill lights are used to increase the amount of ambient light in a
scene and reduce the contrast. High-key lighting is often used in
commercials for food and beauty products. The brightly lit scenes often
suggest an upbeat mood and positive message.
Shooting a low-key video results in darker shadows and a minimal
amount of whites and mid tones. An artist uses a high contrast between
light and dark to create a dramatic mood and draw the viewer’s eye to
one part of the composition. Low-key lighting is often used for
more serious, dramatic, or narrative videos. With its moody, dark tones,
low-key lighting is effective for drawing attention to serious subject
matter, or the darker, emotional side to the story.

Handmaid’s Tale Essay example
From the opening of this scene, we can see that it’s been taken place in a Dystopian-type America. Through the use
of symbolic and technical codes, the scene also displays a sense of dictatorship hierarchy, where women are being
put down and controlled. Towards the beginning of the extract, we can see a wide shot of
the broken Lincoln memorial, which highlights the fact that this is a Dystopian America, as Lincoln was known to
represent freedom. As the camera follows her out to the podium, the shallow focus of the background indicates that
she’s the main character. As the camera pans down towards the crowd, we can clearly see all the women
are wearing the same white and red uniforms. Red is normally a colour that symbolises danger or warning. The close
up of the women in the uniforms shows us that they are all wearing masks, this could possibly a way of silencing
them and putting them down in a hierarchy system. The men surrounding the premise are all wearing black, which
yet again represents the feeling of power or danger reinforcing the idea of a Dystopian setting, the fact that these
guards are surrounding the women could also show that they could be trapped or have a lack of freedom.
There is also a Sombre mood being created, with the use of the background score being slow and the use of violins
also create a sad setting. The multiple close-up shots of the woman also show that she’s distressed and upset. We
can see by her facial expression that she’s tearing up, possibly because she’s lost any hope to freedom. The use of the
lighting also indicates it’s a sombre setting, as the low-key lighting with the blue tone normally connote with sadness
and despair.
As the women and men walk into the shot, we can immediately tell that they are in a position of power, firstly that
they’re not wearing the same uniforms. The woman in blue completely contrasts the others, as blue is on the
opposite end of the colour spectrum and by the fact that the blue normally represents calmness and power. The man
again wearing black to show off his position of power. We also know the woman in blue is in a position of power by
her facial expressions compared to the other women. The close up shot of the woman in blue clearly indicates that
she’s smiling, or rather much calmer than the others who all have their head down in tears. This could reinforce the
idea of dystopia, as the women in red probably had more of an effect on the loss of the Lincoln memorial, as the
broken memorial represents their broken freedom. But this clearly has little to no effect on the people in
power. The score begins to have a high-pitched choir sound as the shot switches to show the many women below,
possibly showing their innocent and religious nature and many of them have their heads down and hands together in
what seems like a prayer position. As the camera cuts to behind the man and the woman in blue, you can see they
are looking over hundreds of women all with their heads bent down. The low angle shot showing the sense of power
and authority, as it makes them look higher up in the hierarchy.
The score becomes drawn out, building up the tension as the audience waits to see what is going to happen next. The
women all drop to their knees in union, again suggested a sense of control without freedom. Right at the very end,
the extreme close up shot of the woman’s eye can see the cross in the reflection, indicating that she’s looking for
some kind of hope in the dystopian struck society.

Handmaid’s tale Poster
Use of the dark grey background with
the dried blood on the walls gives the
audience an idea of the genre, most
likely will be a thriller/scary as blood is
usually associated with death or
destruction (gives people an idea of
the plot)
The words ‘we will bear no more’ gives
the audience the idea that the characters
in this movie are deprived from freedom
of speech. The transparent font could also
show that the subordinate characters
within the series are weak, and their
message isn’t coming out as clear as they
wish.
‘Elisabeth Moss’ is written at the
top to signify that a famous actress
is in the series, that’ll gain more
attention from her fans.
The fairly hidden solider on the left
also gives an idea of what the series is
about, the low key lighting could
show that he would be on the side of
evil character. This could show how
the subordinate characters in the
show are being silenced and
constantly watched, creating a feeling
of a dystopian world. The fact that
he’s also holding a gun states that he
is in a higher position of power.
We can tell that the Woman on the right
in the main character, as the high key
lighting makes her the main focus of the
poster. We can tell by her body
language and by what she’s wearing that
she’s being controlled. Her clothes
appear to be a sort of uniform, and we
can see that she’s hiding her face
implying that she’s upset most likely
because of her lack of freedom. This also
gives the audience the idea of a
Dystopian type show.
The ‘Hulu’ Logo clearly states what
streaming platform this is being aired
on. So their audience knows where to
watch it.
The Series title is tabled with a large
font so it’s clearly visible compared to
the Hulu logo and premiere.
Written in small font, it states that the
series will premiere on April 26. so the
audience know exactly when to expect
the series to come out.

Those Who Wish Me Dead Trailer:
How is meaning created? Genre/Representation/Narrative
Act 1 – Establishing
In the Establishing scene we are introduced to the main character. We can immediately tell she goes
against the typical female stereotype as she works within the police force/security. We can also imply that
she is a strong and confident character as her dialogue response to the sheriff’s question was ‘I’m just lucky
I guess’. The titles imply that his movie is produced by Warner Bros, which is one of the big 5 major film
studios, and including the famous well known actress Angelina Jolie, this gives us the implication that this is
going to be a well made film. While the camera shows us the establishing shot of the area, we see a
flashback scene of a previous mission that the woman went on. We can gather the meaning that the
mission went wrong due to the forest on fire and went she says ‘I read the wind wrong’ implying that she
feels guilt, so possibly she’s not as confident as she perceives herself to be. We can tell she feels upset by
her facial expressions and body language. During the fire, she put her hand over her mouth which shows
she's in shock, and when it cuts to the next scene we can see her wiping the tears off of her face implying
that she’s upset. In this scene, she would be conforming to female stereotypes and they can be
stereotypically emotional.
Act 2: Problem
Then we switch to Act 2 of the trailer, the problem. We know it’s switched to the problem because the non-
diegetic sound or the background score has become more intense. We are also introduced to a new
character which is a young boy. We also know the boy is the problem aspect of the film as the woman
chases the boy through the forest, and as we get a close up shot of the blood on the boy’s neck he states
that ‘it’s not my blood’. This creates meaning that the boy had caused a disruption in the story, which sets
the characters off on their journey.
Act 3: Montage
During the final section of the trailer we can tell that it’s the montage stage with the quick short scene with
lots of cuts showing the sequence of events that are going to take place in the movie. The genre is clearly
action, we can tell by the syntactics and semantics of the film, during the montage, we can see the use of
guns, cars and spies which are typically semantics of an action film. There is also multiple chase scenes
throughout which can be described as common syntactic of an action film. We can also tell the movie Is an
action film with the colours used, the bright red and orange colours are usually used in action movies to
signify danger and excitement. We can also tell that the Woman plays the Hero character and the young
boy plays the princess character following Propp’s character theory. The young boy exclaims that his father
told him ‘to find someone I can trust’ ‘are you someone I can trust?’ which shows he’s in need of saving.

What is the BBFC?
The BBFC, or The British Board of Film Classification is an organization founded by the film industry back in 1912. They are responsible for
the national classification and censorship of films exhibited at cinemas and movies released on physical media within the United Kingdom
The main role of the BBFC is to ensure children and families choose well by providing them with the guidance they need when choosing
what's right and safe to watch for younger audiences.
With the constant growth in film and video content online, how and where we can watch it is becoming more important than ever. The
BBFC has lots of experience with regular consultations and research, and they are careful to reflect the views of people all across the
country. They understand what matters to families and applies their knowledge in setting their standards.
M.I.G.R.A.I.N - Institutions
U – Universal suitable for all
PG – Parental Guidance
12A – Suitable for 12 years and older
(children under 12 can watch with
parental guidance)
12 – Suitable for 12 years and older
15 – suitable only for 15 years and
older
18 – Suitable only for adults

Conglomerates: A media conglomerate or media institution is a company that
owns numerous companies involved in mass media enterprises, such as
television, radio, publishing, motion pictures, theme parks, or the Internet.
This makes it more difficult for smaller independent media institutions to
compete.
Gatekeepers: Gatekeepers are large companies such as Disney, they own big
sections of the media industry and have lots of control and influence on
others. Gatekeepers ultimately craft and conduct what is being published to
the masses, therefore they determine what is to become the public's social
reality, and their view of the world
Horizontal integration: Horizontal Integration is a Media Company's
Ownership of several businesses of the same value. A Media Company can
own a Magazine, Radio, Newspaper, Television and Books. Almost
all Media companies have horizontal integration.
Vertical Integration: Vertical Integration is when a Media Company owns
different businesses in the same chain of production and distribution. For
example, a 20th Century Fox owns the studios in Hollywood, they also own
the cinemas, the TV channels and the DVD rental shops.
360 degree status: A 360 degree status is when a large media industry uses a
multichannel marketing technique to promote their film or product further.
For example, they can promote their product through social media, radio, TV
websites or physical locations.
Oligopoly: Oligopolies are large corporations, They own big sections of the
industry and can be classed as gatekeepers. Some examples of oligopolies
would be Disney, Time warner, Comcast and Fox. These large corporations
have a huge influence on the media. Making it harder for smaller
independent companies to compete.
Key concepts:

The Big 5 – Studios
The big Five refers to the 5 largest movie production companies of this era, Universal studios, Paramount Pictures, Warner
Bros, Disney and Sony pictures. These five studios would collaborate to reach national audiences. They would also share films
to fill screens. Their theatres would release over 100 films per year.
A Major film studio refers to:
A movie production and distribution company that
releases a substantial number of films annually. Also a
company that consistently commands a significant share
of box office revenues in a given market.
In the western market, there are 5 main film studios that
make up 90% of the US box office revenue. They are
known as ‘The majors’ or ‘the big 5’.
A ‘Big 5’ operate in and around Hollywood, and are
centred in film studios that were active in Hollywood’s
1930s and 40s golden age of cinema.

BATB vs BIF
Production Marketing and Distribution Exchange
Budget - $254 million
Leading actors - Emma Watsons, Emma
Thompson, Luke Evans
Set - Shepperton, with chandeliers based off the
ones from the Palace of Versailles
CGI – Used for the beast and household objects
Editing: Previs to make the ‘Be Our Guest’ scene
Sound Mix - Dolby Digital, IMAX 6T Track, 12-
Track Digital sound, Dolby Atmos and Dolby
Surround 7.1.
Camera: Arrie Alexa XT Plus, Leica Summilux-C
Lenses
Budget - $140 million
The first poster was released on July 7 2016. On
November 2nd 2016 entertainment weekly
debuted the first official image of their
magazine along with nine new photos.
Emma Watson posted on her Instagram with 50
million followers.
The first official teaser trailer on Good Morning
America. In its first 24 hours, the teaser trailer
reached 91.8 million views.
Disney also used Cross-media convergence
with a number of companies to promote their
film, for example; Gelish (a nail polish company)
offered it movie-themed.
Beauty and the beast grossed $1,256,143,089 on
the worldwide box office
It was banned in Kuwait and Malaysia over a
reference to Josh Gad’s character being gay.
Russia also gave it an over 16 rating.
In 65 countries, it was released on the 16th and
17th of march 2017, but they initially released it
in February 23rd 2017 in London.
On Rotten Tomatoes it got a 71% from they’re
website and from the audience watching from it
got a 80%. Hindustan times which is an English
news paper gave the movie a 4.5/5 and from
IMDb it got a 7.1/10
Disney’s Beauty and the beast 2017. Disney is a large and well known institution which has lots of influence on the media, with their
large budget they can afford an excellent quality film.
Production Marketing and Distribution Exchange
Budget - $5million
Fairly unknown actors used
Took 1 month to film
Scenes were filmed on location
The technical equipment used for BIF. Digital
Cinema Package (DCP) which is considered
cheap in the film industry.
There was a camera crew team of 22 people,
Cameras used: Arrie Alexa plus 4:3 and Hawk V-
Lite 110mm.
Software: Final Cut Pro, Premiere Pro X and
Avids Media Composer.
Spent $20 million on advertising
Website with the trailer and a big prompt to buy
tickets below the title.
There are links to their social media accounts
like Facebook, Instagram, twitter and snapchat.
The movie was first announced that it would
have its first premiere at Sundance 2017. The
screening caused lots of people to talk
positively.
Box office: 18.9 million USD
Released in theatres on March 3rd 2017, then
on DVD and Blu-ray on May 30, 2017. On June 8
2020, the film was released on Netflix.
Reviews: 6.5/ 10 IMDb, 65% rotten tomatoes
All they made was 18.9 million in the box office
they lost 6.1 million
Before I fall can be streamed on Netflix, amazon
video, Hulu.
Awesomeness film’s Before I fall was produced by a much small independent company who didn’t have as large as a budget, you can
see the difference with the technology and actors used.

What is Genre?
Genre comes from the French word for 'type’ or ‘class’ it is important for both consumers and media producers. Consumers
can make choices about media texts they wish to consume and media producers can create a media text for a specific
audience. If a media producer wants to gain an audience for a particular genre, then they have to understand the genre codes
and conventions and include them in the media text they are creating. All genres contain sub genres which further define and
categorize the media text. Some media texts are hybrid genres, which means they share the conventions of more than one
genre.
M.I.G.R.A.I.N - Genre
Animation
Sub Genres: Stop motion, Fairy-tale, folk tales, 2D animation, 3D animation, Traditional animation, anime
Hybrid Genres: Animation-live action films, Animation-adventure, Animation-comedy, Animation-musical films
Examples: Inside Out (2015), Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937), Who framed Rodger rabbit (1988), Mary Poppins (1964)
Sci-Fi
Sub Genres: Space Sci-Fi, Gothic, Steampunk, Cyberpunk, Time travel, Robot and monster films, Alien invasion
Hybrid Genres: Military Sci-Fi, Romantic Sci-fi, Sci-fi animation, Comedy Sci-Fi, Horror Sci-Fi, Sci-Fi adventure
Examples: The Matrix (1999), The Terminator (1984), Close encounters of the third kind (1977), Star Wars (1977), ET (1982)
Romance
Sub Genres: Historical romance, Romantic drama, Chick flick, Erotic Romance, Religious/Spiritual Romance
Hybrid Genres: Romantic comedy, Romantic thriller, gothic romance, Paranormal, Sci-Fi, or Fantasy Romance.
Examples: Titanic (1998) The Big Sick (2017), Moonstruck (1987), Call Me By Your Name (2017), Silver Linings Playbook (2012)

Genre Theorists:
David Duff
Genre is “a recurring type or category of text, as defined by
structural and thematic criteria.”
He claims that genre is a recurring type or category of text,
as defined by structural and thematic criteria. This is
normally how genre is categorized now a days.
John Hartley
“The same text can belong to different genres in different
countries or times.”
The same text can belong to different genres in different
countries or times. For example the Exorcist, it was deemed
to be in the horror genre when it first came out in the 70’s,
but now in modern times it fits more into the comedy
genre.
Robert Stem
“Genre is hard to define, doesn’t really exist and is just a
concept made up by theorists and critics”
He suggests that genre is hard to define, doesn’t really exist
and is just a concept made up by theorists and critics.
There’s too many genre’s to categorize them.

Rick Altman’s theory
He believed that genre is easily defined through the use of Semantics, which are physical props/costumes/lighting etc. And Syntactics,
which are common themes/plot lines/messages. They apply to media theory to show deeper understanding of how meaning is created
therefore the audience is able to clearly identify the genre of a film due to these elements.
Semantics – These include areas such as location, characters and props. These are what usually give a film their generic genre traits.
For example, an urban area with vehicles, Guns and military men would be associated with an action or adventure film genre.
Syntactics – Syntactics are a group of generic events that are associated with different genres. These events are familiar for audiences
watching are film. For example, in action films there may be a natural disaster or a science experiment gone-wrong type of situation
that gives away it’s an action film.
Action Sci-Fi Horror Romance Comedy
Semantics - Urban area
- Weapons
- Cars
- Superhero
- Explosions
- Aliens
- Scientists
- Spies
- UFOs
- Astronauts
- Low key
lighting
- Monsters
- Haunted house
- Love interests
- Damsel in distress
- Roses and
chocolates
- Dumb
characters
- Humorous
minority
characters
Syntactics - Military men
- Natural
disasters
- Experiments
- Survival
- Super powers
- Futuristic
- Space mission
- Spy mission
- Discovery
- Mars
- Outer space
survival
- Orphanage
- The church
- Exorcisms
- Paranormal
activity
- Death
- The devil
- Vacations
- Dancing and
singing
- Urban area or
country side
- The beach
- Marriage
- Office setting
- Work place
- Friend group
- Colourful
background

M.I.G.R.A.I.N - Representation
Stereotyping:
A stereotype is a fixed, over generalized belief about a particular group or class of people. By stereotyping we infer that a
person has a whole range of characteristics and abilities that we assume all members of that group have. Any time you group
races or individuals together and make a judgment about them without knowing them, is an example of a stereotype. Racial
remarks, sexual remarks, and gender remarks are the biggest and most common stereotypes.
Asian:
the most common stereotype of Asians is being 'smart’.
this is because they have high interests in being successful
and getting into elite universities/colleges. Ironically they
do this because they believe that the prestige of this will
shield them from discrimination. The stereotypes of Asians
being smart came when Asian immigrants were initially
praised for their strong work ethic in the gold mining and
railroad industries in the 1800s.
Latino:
The most common stereotype for Latino women is that
they are seen as exotic, beautiful and hot tempered. when
Mexicans were originally immigrating to America they
were taking any job they could find, these were mainly
badly paying jobs such as gardeners, handymen, small
time mechanics or as a butler, this would lead to multiple
stereotypes being formed about all Mexicans being
gardeners or servants.Pablo Escobar was one of the largest
drug lords in history and sold most of his product in
America, he was a Latino man so him being a drug lord
may be why many Latino men are stereotypically linked to
drug gangs, this as well as many immigrants have had to
resort to crime to get by.
Arab:
Many common Middle Eastern stereotypes is that all Arabs
are portrayed as a terrorist or often the villain in most action
movies. Arabs also have another popular stereotype of being
extremely wealthy, you’d often see them in movies wearing a
luxury gown or lots of jewellery. Men would also be seen as
misogynistic, oppressive and controlling towards their wife or
wives. Especially after the 9/11 terrorist attack on the twin
towers in world trade centre with almost 3,000 deaths.
Middle Easterners and Muslims faced cultural and religious
stereotypes. often seen as villains in movies.
Native American:
The most common stereotypes for a native American would
be that they’re normally classified as ‘savages’ or uncivilised
people, that wear feathers and red face paint and are also
very superstitious. The use of the word 'American Indian' is
used a lot but it is the wrong word. The correct term is
'Native American.' The term American Indian can be seen as
offensive and impolite. When he landed in the Antilles,
Columbus referred to the resident peoples he encountered
there as "Indians" reflecting his purported belief that he had
reached the Indian Ocean.

Alvarado’s theory:
Manuel Alvarado was a Guatemalan-born British academic, who specialized in Media studies. His theories related to ethnicity are based on the
idea that people from different cultures tend to be defined by how different they are, by their 'otherness'. Alvarado’s Theory states that ethnic
minorities fall into the following categories in movies and tv show using the four different categories;
Description Example
The Humorous One major stereotype is that Black people
(African American) in movies are usually
the comedic one or the ones that make
people laugh. For example, Franklin
Finbarr played by Kevin Hart in Jumanji.
The Dangerous A stereotype for the Dangerous character
would be a Latino drug dealer, as in
movies they are stereotypically gang
members. For example , Pablo Escobar
played by Benicio Del Toro in Paradise lost.
The Exotic Female Latinos can also be portrayed as
stereotypically the exotic one. For
example, Gloria Delgado-Pritchett who's
played by Sofía Vergara a Latina woman in
modern family.
The Pitied When adverts or documentaries are
displayed for African children and families
dying in poverty, the impression this gives
off to the audience creates a feeling of
pity. These would normally be poor African
countries or even communities in India.

Representation of women:
In the past, women in movies and TV Shows, were always represented as ‘invisible’. Especially in the 50’s, there was this issue
surrounding the ‘patriarchal view’ of women. Gramsci used the term hegemony to show how the dominant class, which
are classified as the Males, can project their own ideologies so that those who are subordinated (ideally the women) accept it
as 'common sense' and 'natural’.
This is called the Cultivation theory – where women watch and believe how this is how they should behave.
Male
stereotypes
Female
stereotypes
Strong Caring
Loud Emotional
Aggressive Flirty
Confident Passive
Arrogant Loving
Stubborn Happy
Assertive Gossipy
Female vs Male stereotypes
Feminism:
A movement started in which women questioned their
position within patriarchal society. The typical housewife
who’s only purpose was to grow and raise children. It served
to uncover, challenge and eliminate oppression and
dominant gender imagery.
Soon enough, the media started promoting Women as a sex
symbol rather than ‘pure’ Again, following the Cultivation
theory were Women believe how they’re supposed to be.

Representation theorists:
Laura Mulvey’s Male Gaze theory:
the Male Gaze theory states that women in the media are seen
through the eyes of a man, and that they are portrayed as passive
subjects of male interest. This philosophy can be interpreted from
a feminists viewpoint in three ways: how men see women, how
women see themselves, and finally, how women see other women.
According to the theory, the male gaze rejects a woman's human
identity. reducing them to objects to be praised for their physical
presence.
John Berger’s Ways of seeing:
John Berger’s “Ways of seeing” (1972) analyses the manner in which men
and women are culturally represented, and the effect these
representations have on their conduct and self as well and mutual
perception. In “Ways of seeing” Berger claims that the representations of
men and women in visual culture entice different “gazes”. “women were
depicted in a different way to men because the ‘ideal’ spectator is always
assumed to be men because the ‘ideal’ spectator is always assumed to
be male and the images of the women is designed to flatter him.”
Bell Hook’s Feminism theory:
Bell Hooks believes that upper class white men control the
media industries. This can include news companies, film
companies and TV companies. She also thought that what these
white upper class men believed in and their values and beliefs
are what we would see in media. Hooks also believed that it
would create prejudice and discrimination towards minority
groups. She also heavily believed that black women were seen
as the lowest in media texts because of their ethnicity and
gender - a mix of misogyny and racism.
Michel Foucault’s Theory:
Foucault's theory was that people don't have a 'real' identity within
themselves. He believed it was just used to describe a person. An
'identity' is communicated to others in your interactions with them,
but can change. He also said that people do not 'have' power
naturally, and that it was gained. An example of a film that supports
his theory is Toy Story. Buzz lightyear's character is defined by the
way he interacts with the other characters. He is shown to be funny,
when he doesn't intend to be. He talks about how he is an astronaut
hero although he comes across as delusional.

Justification - Representation

M.I.G.R.A.I.N – Audience
What is audience?
An audience are spectors or listeners at a public event such as a play, film, concert or meeting. The audience is the most important part of
any product. They are the ones that will consume your product, rate your product, inform the direction your product goes, will it be a
success or not? Social media have now made the audience even more pivotal meaning their voice is now a lot louder than it was in the
past.
Passive Audience:
A passive audience does not actively engage with a media text. A passive
audience is one that does not question the message that the media is
sending and simply accepts the message in the way the media outlet
intended. ‘Top down’ theories of media influence tend to assume that
audiences are passive. Theories such as the Hypodermic/Bullet and Agenda
setting function assume audiences are passive.
Active Audience:
The active audience theory argues that the media audiences do not
just receive information passively but are actively involved, often
unconsciously, in making sense of the message within their personal
and social contexts. Decoding of a media message way therefore be
influenced by such things as family background, beliefs, values, culture,
interests, education and experiences.
These concepts link also to Audience Demographics and Psychographics:
Audience Demographics
Demographic targeting or demographic segmentation is a type of market
segmentation according to family size, religion, gender, age, ethnicity,
education, and even income. These data can effectively be segmented into
different markets, helping companies target customers more accurately than
ever before.
Audience Psychographics
Psychographics refer to all of the psychological variables that combine to form
a person's inner self. Even if two people share the same demographic or
geographic characteristics, they may still hold entirely different ideas and
values that define them personally and socially.

Uses and Gratification theory:
Uses and gratifications theory declares that people use media to gratify specific wants and needs. Unlike many media theories that
view media users as passive, uses and gratifications sees users as active agents who have control over their media consumption. Uses and
gratifications characterizes people as active and motivated in selecting the media they choose to consume, they can be put into 4
categories; Personal Identity, Personal relationship, Escapism/Divergence and Surveillance/Information.
Personal Identity:
This is where the audience identifies with a character. perhaps
they are going through similar issues and they can relate to the
characters. This is important because you want your product to be
realistic and engage your audience. People are more likely to
respond to your product if they can relate to it.
Personal Relationship:
This often occurs when there has been a long running show, or a
series of movies and the audience becomes invested in the
characters. They form an attachment, they will have a favorite
character that they like to watch, they will know all about that
character as if it was a real person.
Escapism/Divergence:
Audience often use the media as a form of escapism, they want
to escape reality and send a few hours in a make-believe world.
It is usually a way for the audience to relax and no longer thing
about their own current problems or issues. When they use the
media to escape, they can put their real lives on hold.
Surveillance/Information:
Audience often use the media as a form of finding out information. This
could be in the form of News and information. Or could be in the form
of movies about historical events/figures so that they audience can
learn. It also allows the audience to observe, especially with reality tv.

Audience Theory What is it?
Hypodermic Needle Theory It was developed in the 1920s and 1930s after
researchers observed the effect of propaganda
during World War I and events like Orson Welles’
War of the Worlds broadcast. The Hypodermic
Needle Theory is a communication theory which
suggests that media messages are injected directly
into the brains of a passive audience. It suggests
that we’re all the same and we all respond to
messages in the same way.
Cultivation Theory According to the theory, people who watch
television frequently are more likely to be
by the messages from the world of television. The
influence goes to such an extent that their world
view and perceptions start reflecting what they
repeatedly see and hear on television. Therefore,
considered to contribute independently to the way
people perceive social reality.
Moral Panic Moral Panic occurs when someone or
something is defined by the media as a threat
to the values or interests of society. moral
occurs when condition, episode, person or
group of people emerges to become defined
as a threat to societal values and interests. In
Cohen’s view the media overreact or
sensationalize aspects of behaviors which
challenge social norms.

Audience theories:
Two Step Flow Theory:
The two step flow theory was made by Katz and Paul
Lazarfelds. The theory suggests that there is a 'opinion leader'
who gets information from a media source. The 'opinion
leader' then passes it to other people. This could cause a bad
influence on other people if they heard negative things about
it from the 'opinion leader' which will affect the reputation of
the content resulting in low views. For example, if a celebrity
were to review a product and found that they did not like it or
thought it was bad quality, they will then be passing that on to
their followers as they are the 'opinion leader' which causes a
large amount of people to be drawn away from the product.
An example would be when a skincare influencer
reviewed Mario Budescu's facial spray in a negative
way. The video got 1.1 million views. This would have
caused negative attention to the company and
dropped sales
Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs
In order to better understand what motivates human beings,
Maslow proposed that human needs can be organized into a
hierarchy. the theory states that these five categories of
human needs dictate human behaviour.
Self-actualization People could get motivated from a
character they've seen in a movie or
a celebrity posting about their lives.
Esteem A person could use media hoping to
improve their self esteem. for
example, taking a good picture of
themselves and posting it on
Instagram. the comments and
amount of likes could debate
whether It would improve their
esteem or not.
Love and Belonging Media used to stay connected with
family and friends and see what is
going on in their lives. zooms an
example of how we stayed
connected this year.
Safety needs Shelter, a safe home With a decent
paying job. Access to basic
healthcare
Physiological needs Air, water, food, shelter, sleep,
reproduction

M.I.G.R.A.I.N – Ideology
An ideology is a collection of ideas or beliefs
shared by a group of people.
It may be based off set of ideas, or a style of
thought, or a world-view. Communism,
socialism, and capitalism are
political/economical ideologies. Many political
parties base their political action and program
on an ideology. Ideologies are usually different
depending on where you come from and who
is leading you. Ideologies often shape the way
people live, and Ideologies can be seen as
negative and can often interfere with freedom
of expression/choice.
Governments can hold specific ideologies;
capitalism/Marxism/socialism/Liberalism
This will determine how people are encouraged
to live their lives. Ideologies can be
embedded into someone’s belief, and enforced
through generations.

Capitalism Socialism Liberalism Marxism
What is it? Capitalism is an economic system in
which private individuals or
businesses own capital goods. It is
also and political system in which a
country's trade and industry is
controlled by private owners.
Socialism is a political and
economic theory which believes
the means of making, moving and
trading wealth should be owned or
controlled by workers.
Liberalism is a political philosophy
or worldview based and founded
ideas of liberty and equality.
Liberalism stands for: freedom of
speech, freedom of the press,
freedom of religion, free markets,
civil rights, democratic societies,
gender equality
Marxism is the political and
economic belief that there is no
social classes and that every person
within the society works for a
common good, and class struggle
theoretically gone. The theory is
that this will eliminate the social
When did it begin? Capitalism first began around the
17th century when merchants
start to gain profits from the
products that they were making
selling, meaning they were earning
more money.
The historic root of socialism goes
as far back as the Grecian times by
philosopher Plato in 360 B.C. The
concepts of the "Utopian society"
depicted by Thomas More during
the sixteenth century speaks of a
society where trade with currency is
abolished.
The liberal movement began in the
1790s in England and concentrated
on parliamentary and natural rights.
Elements of libertarianism can be
traced as far back as the ancient
Chinese philosopher Lao-Tzu and
the higher-law concepts of the
Greeks but those libertarian ideas
began to take modern form in the
writings of the Levellers and John
Locke.
Marxism was first publicly
formulated in 1848, by Karl Marx
and Friedrich Engels, they began
writing The Communist Manifesto
(1848), based on the Engels'
Principles of Communism. Six
later, they published the 12,000-
word pamphlet in February 1848
Effects on the media? Doesn't provide all the pros and
cons of the firm
Only shows how capitalism makes
money and not how effects things
like the environment, pollution,
harmful to standard of living.
Promotes a culture of work and
desire.
An example of social media being
utilized to spread socialism is
through Twitter & Instagram . The
#Metoo movement had gone viral
on twitter a year ago ,the hashtag
was popularized when an actress
'Alyssa Milano' urged victims of
sexual abuse to share their stories
on Twitter.
The ideology liberalism has
more of a political stance in the
media over the years, mostly
impacting one of the biggest
sectors is in the world being
news/journalism in digital and
printed media, in which they can
have the most power and influence
to spread their beliefs
Believe that bourgeois owners (very
wealthy business owners) instruct
editors and journalists to put across
certain messages to audience. This
would spread dominant ideology
that questions the power and
privilege of the bourgeois.
What is good/bad about it? Many people think that economic
freedom leads to political freedom.
Those who support capitalism
believe that competition benefits
from consumers by making their
products affordable. However,
capitalism is inhuman, anti-
democratic and unsustainable.
People with power can pay lower
wages to workers. Lots pollution
from production which is very
harmful for the environment
socialism creates a society that
focuses on economic equality.
is a reduction in poverty when
socialism has a chance to work.
When the very rich are taxed to
contribute to the very poor.
However, Socialism creates a
significantly higher tax burden for
individuals. When an economy has
high rate of taxation, then there
benefits to consider when working
or creating a business opportunity.
Provides individual freedom
(freedom of speech/association),
They fight for equality, Want
cultural diversity, Promotes
economic growth, Preserve human
rights. However, Market
Inconsistency, Over-dependence,
Government criticism, Cultural
issues.
The advantages of Marxism is that
has equal gender roles, equal
education access and health care
part of its foundation. However,
weaknesses of Marxism is that it
tries to abolish religion, as it can be
seen as placing a superior role over
others, and Marx felt like religion
was used to control people.

Cultural Hegemony:
Cultural hegemony refers to domination or rule maintained through ideological or cultural means. It is usually achieved through
social institutions, which allow those in power to strongly influence the values, norms, ideas, expectations, worldview, and
behaviour of the rest of society. In Marxist philosophy, cultural hegemony is the domination of a culturally diverse society by the
ruling class which manipulates the culture of that society, the beliefs and explanations, and perceptions.
Dominant ideologies are
considered hegemonic; power in
society is maintained by constructing
ideologies which are usually
promoted by the mass media.
Example of Cultural Hegemony:
The definition of hegemony is leadership or dominance of one
group over another. Hegemony cab be literally anything or anyone
that has an influence on others, an example of hegemony could be
student government leadership in a school. The predominance of
one state or social group over others.
Another example of hegemony is the United States government. A
group of the ruling class, so to speak, which have direct influence
and authority over the citizens in their nation.

Todorov’s Narrative Theory:
Tzvetan Todorov's narrative theory suggests that all narratives follow a three part structure where they begin with
equilibrium, where everything is balanced, progress as something comes along to disrupt that equilibrium, and finally reach
a resolution, when equilibrium is restored.
Equilibrium - all is calm at the beginning
Disruption - the audience is aware of something happening, but the characters don't realize yet.
Recognition - the characters are now aware of what the problem is.
Repair - the characters are trying to fix the problem.
New Equilibrium - all is well again in the story.
Equilibrium Disruption Recognition
Repair New Equilibrium
We learn about the main character
Marty, a wannabe rock star with an
average family. He also learn he’s friends
with a scientist.
The Doc was shot dead when going
back in time, Marty was sent back to
1955.
Marty meets his teenage
parents and has to match make
them up otherwise he might
not be born.
Marty and the Doc uses the
DeLorean to get back to 1985,
and he manages to get his
parents together.
Different but a better 1985,
where Marty has a
successful family.
Back to the Future Example

Propp's character theory:
Propp argued that stories are character driven and that plots develop from the decisions and actions of characters and how they function in a story. He
claimed characters could be classified into certain roles that progress a story.
Propp's Character Types:
The Hero – the savior in the movie
The Helper – the hero is supported in his or her quest by the helper – usually on old man or magician
The Villain – fights against the hero – this person is the baddie in the story
The False Hero – Sometimes you might have a character you first trust but turns out they are bad! They may try to take credit for the hero’s work.
The Donor – This donor is a person who gives the hero something special that will help them succeed.
The Dispatcher – This person is who sends the hero on their mission
The Princess – Needs saving by the hero or might be the reward at the end of the story.
The Princess's Father – protective of the princess.
Character type Example
The Hero The Prince is the one who saves Cinderella from her imprisonment. And falls in
love with her and marries her.
The Villain The Step mother is the villain as she forces Cinderella to be her slave after her
dad dies, and make her cook and clean for her.
The Donor Gus and Jaq are the Donors as they are Cinderella’s best friends and work
together to help make her an amazing dress for the ball.
The Princess Cinderella is the princess, as she gets saved and falls in love with the hero.
The Princess’s father He loved and cared for his daughter, but at the beginning of the film you are
told of his tragic death.
The helper The fairy godmother who allows her to go to the ball, and gives her a dress,
carriage and shoes.
The false hero The Ugly step sisters are the false hero’s because they try to claim that the
glass shoe is theirs so that the prince will love one of them.
Cinderella Example:

Levi Strauss’s Binary Opposites theory:
Levi Strauss, a French anthropologist in the 1900s, proposed a theory of 'binary opposites' which entails that the majority of
narratives in media forms such as books and film contain opposing main characters. These binary opposites help to thicken
the plot and further the narrative; and introduce contrast.
Examples:
Good vs Bad Female vs male
We can tell that these two characters are
considered Binary opposites by the way the
producers and animators portray them. Using
softer, lighting colours with an innocent
appearance we can tell Snow white is the good
character. With the ugly looking, distorted face
with a mysterious cloak. The witch would be
seen to the audience as an evil character, which
would have some sort of conflict with the good
character.
This theory also applies to advertisements, especially
when advertisers try to appeal to the opposing gender
this would also be considered Binary opposites. As you
can see, the male advertisement is implying that he’d
be ‘smart’ when binning litter. But the female
advertisement claims that she would be ‘pretty’ when
binning litter. The advertisement is trying to comply
with the female and male stereotypes with being smart
vs pretty, creating the Binary opposition.

Trailer Research:
A trailer is a commercial advertisement for a feature film that will be displayed in the future at a movie theatre/cinema, the
result of creative and technical work. While A teaser trailer, is known as a pre-launch campaign, it’s an advertising campaign
which typically consists of small snippets of the film, they are usually shorter than a proper trailer. Trailers are used so the
audience can get an idea of what the film is about before they watch them.
Evolution of Trailers:
1913: Film trailers were conceived in 1913 by Nils Gronlund, the advertising
manager of Marcus Loew theatres, when he spliced together rehearsal footage
of The Pleasure Seekers, a Broadway play at the time, into a mini promotional
montage that trailed after films shown at Loew’s theatres. Thus began the trailer
industry.
1919: Then Herman Robbins created the National Screen Service in 1919, a
company theatres and studios could outsource to do all the work for them,
expanding the idea of what a trailer could and should do.
1960s: The NSS held a virtual monopoly on the trailer game until the 1960s, when
auteur filmmakers like Alfred Hitchcock and Stanley Kubrick began cutting trailers
for their own films.
1970s: The market changed again in the 1970s to promote Steven Spielberg’s Jaws,
the world’s first summer blockbuster. That film’s subsequent success helped solidify
the advertising model still widely prevalent in today’s trailer strategy: customize
trailers to be viewed during prime-time hours
2007: Grindhouse, the 2007 collaboration of Quentin Tarantino’s Death proof and
Robert Rodriguez’s Planet terror, featured five fake trailers between the double-
billed features. These trailers were not only meta-explorations of the Grindhouse
genre, but also directorial experiments in the art of trailer-making. After being
uploaded to YouTube, received a lot of attention. Of those five, three were
produced: Hobo With a Shotgun, Thanksgiving (still in development), and Machete.
Modern Trailers:
Earlier this year, the National Association of
Theatre Owners ruled that trailers should no
longer exceed two minutes. that’s 30 seconds
shorter than the previous norm and requested
theatres stop playing previews more than four
months in advance of a film's
release. According to The Hollywood
Reporter, theatre owners were fed up with
criticisms from audiences saying that previews
had become too long and revealing. The new
guidelines confirmed a popular consensus:
Trailers felt too long.

Trailer Research 2:
What makes a good trailer?:
A well made trailer includes; Character, tone, setting, genre, and originality. So you need material that makes the audience want to
watch the rest of the movie. If your script is solid, somewhere in the first ten minutes of your film you'll find a scene that does all the
above. A scene that launches the story into action.
It can be difficult for smaller independent companies to compete with larger conglomerates, like the Big 5. The larger companies have a
much larger budget, this means that they are able to make high quality trailers to promote their film well. Besides already being a highly
influential company, they gain a lot of attention and profit a ton from their movies so they are able to keep expanding and growing.
Meaning that it’s much harder for smaller independent companies to compete.
Why do films include movie posters?
A movie poster is the initial image of the film. It is the
promotional material for the production. The poster is there
to summarize the film in one image to help draw attention
towards the upcoming flick. Without a poster, you're relying
solely on words which can get dull very quickly.
Why is it important to include branding across movie
promotional packs?
Advertising your film is one of the most important parts of
Branding and getting attention for your movie. Whether it be
through social media, the two step flow theory or posters.
Especially for independent unknown film producers it’s
important to include branding across all different types of
movie promotional packs to get people to know and
understand what your film is about. Some companies even
use cross media convergence to promote their film by
collaborating with different companies.

Analysis of Trailer 1:
KEY
CONCEPTS:
Meaning
Institution
Genre
Representation
Audience
Ideology
Narrative

Analysis of Poster 1:
KEY
CONCEPTS:
Meaning
Institution
Genre
Representation
Audience
Ideology
Narrative

Analysis of Social Media
Page 1:
KEY
CONCEPTS:
Meaning
Institution
Genre
Representation
Audience
Ideology
Narrative

Branding:
Guardians of the Galaxy

Analysis of Trailer 2:
KEY
CONCEPTS:
Meaning
Institution
Genre
Representation
Audience
Ideology
Narrative

Analysis of Poster 2:
KEY
CONCEPTS:
Meaning
Institution
Genre
Representation
Audience
Ideology
Narrative

Analysis of Social Media
Page 2:
KEY
CONCEPTS:
Meaning
Institution
Genre
Representation
Audience
Ideology
Narrative

Year 12 Media research task planning

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Year 12 Media research task planning